Traffic woes dog policemen as schools re-open on Monday

DEHRADUN: With schools re-opening from Monday after the summer vacation, the menace of long traffic jams and holdovers is all set to return to haunt the Doonites. The situation is likely to get worse as monsoon has started and the tourism season is still on with people in high numbers going to hill stations of Mussoorie and Dhanaulti.


However, keeping in mind the possibilities of such situation, the Dehradun police have already started their preparations in this regard. In the next few days, the top brass of Doon police is scheduled to meet the school authorities and request them to change the school timings by few minutes so that the traffic pressure on the road could be reduced.


SSP Dehradun Sadanand Date told TOI, "There are some particular stretch of roads which witness more traffic jams. Our teams will look for the possibilities of making new one way roads."


As a number of prominent schools are on Rajpur road, EC Road and Subhash Road, the school timings - especially in the afternoon hours - often witnessed long traffic blockades on these major roads of the state capital.


Date pointed out that more force would be deployed on key locations during the peak hours. "Our focus will also be on the vehicles parked on the road side as during the peak hours they too play a major role in blocking traffic," said the senior police officer. "Not many changes are possible but our teams will make the required effort to prevent traffic jams," he added.


Meanwhile, a resident of Nehru Colony, Sunder Lal opined that police alone should not be held responsible for the traffic jam. "Prior to 2000, there were barely few vehicles in Dehradun but now the number has gone up by leaps and bounds but no alternative routes have been developed, therefore it has increased the burden on roads. With so many vehicles on roads when the schools get over, it is virtually impossible for anyone to prevent traffic holdovers," he added.