The accelerated rate of motorization occurring in the city in the last few years then it can possibly accommodate, led to growing traffic congestion which has emerged as one of the most serious transport problem facing the city. Most of the city roads are witnessing serious traffic chaos on almost all days resulting in huge inconvenience to the vehicular traffic and pedestrian alike. All most all streets and lanes, largely residential are increasingly beginning to resemble noisy main roads. The situation is so pathetic that parents have to tell their children to take extra care while going to neighbours houses as they believe the area remain no more residential any more. This is because right from heavy vehicles to an annoying array of motorbikes, vehicles take the smaller lanes as short-cut to reach their destinations. The smoke and dust generated often leave people coughing through the day. Rush and negligent driving by motorists have added to their vows. Dangerous driving by motorists has become rampant. The alarming road accidents are testimony to the fact.
Traffic congestion occurs when a volume of traffic generates demand for space greater than the available road capacity. There are a number of specific circumstances which cause or aggravate congestion-most of them reduce the capacity of a road at a given point or over a certain length. Traffic congestion has a number of negative effects: It is seen as wasting of time of the motorists and passengers. Delays, which may result in late arrival for employment, meetings and disciplinary action by employer, wasted fuel, increases air population, wear and tear on vehicles as a result of idling in traffic and frequent acceleration and braking, leading to more frequent repairs and replacements, stressed and frustrated motorists, encouraging road rage, emergencies blocked traffic may interfere with the passage of emergency vehicles traveling to their destinations where they are urgently needed.
Shortage of Parking space: Another important aspect that required serious attention by the authorities is the lack of sufficient parking place for vehicles. People park their vehicles in main road causing great inconvenience to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Parking has been a problem in the city for several years and increase in the number of vehicles has only added to it. Four-wheelers used to park their vehicles on pavements, leaving no space for pedestrians to walk. It is common to see vehicles parked haphazardly even on busy roads in the city. One of the main contributing factors for the worsening of parking problem in the city is the lack of adequate parking space in most of the commercial buildings. Addressing parking shortage and traffic congestion in the city is very important in the long term planning for the city.
New parking sites must be developed to accommodate more cars on a free basis in the city’s residential areas. Several residential areas in the town have been facing an acute shortage of parking space for a long time. It is therefore imperative that the number of parking sites in the city must be increased. There is ample vacant land in the city in which parking space can be developed. There are several commercial complexes in the cities but none of them have parking facility. New buildings in the city do not have adequate parking space. As a result, people who come to these buildings are forced to park their vehicles outside. Owners of all such complexes must be directed to clear the basements of their building to provide parking space. Construction of flyovers and over-bridges at important road junctions is being seen by some as possible solution to the traffic congestion in areas like Babuline, Junglighat and Aberdeen Bazaar, which is creating problems for the movement of vehicular traffic in day as well as night.
Impact of technology: Technology does not replace the larger solution, but it does provide some needed temporary relief. New measures like construction of new road infrastructure as well as improvement in the public transport system has to be initiated to control traffic congestion. Measures such as city planning and urban design practices can have huge impact on further traffic congestion. Road space rationing must be implemented to prevent certain type of vehicles from driving in certain areas which would help ease traffic congestion. Measure like school opening time to avoid peak hour traffic has helped reduce traffic congestion to a considerable extent. A very convenient system need to be implemented to minimize the inconvenience of the people.
Role of Traffic Police: Though, a full-fledged Traffic Unit is managing the helm of affairs as regard city traffic in the Port Blair town, one is made to understand that traffic regulation in the city is restricted mainly in imposing challan on two-wheelers for not wearing helmets rather focusing on mitigating the real traffic related problems. Traffic police can be seen in different points of the city imposing challan on two wheelers and autos. Monitoring traffic movements and road situations, checking irregularities and violation of the law, operational involvement in traffic regulations as and when needed, involvement in educational drives launched by the traffic police from time to time, making suggestions for improvement of various traffic problems, continuously promoting road safety awareness in public and school children, rendering assistance to victims of road accidents, helping and guiding pedestrians to cross road and walk on footpaths safely, guiding road users to observe traffic rules, preventing violation of traffic rules and regulations, helping police to maintain order on festivals and other occasions and ensuring regulating traffic and inculcating better traffic sense in the public are some of the other issues which the traffic police must focus on in the greater interest of smooth movement of city traffic.