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Densely populated Kadma can get some road relief from next week as East Singhbhum district administration has ordered traffic police to put up barricades against heavy vehicles, especially dumpers.
Traffic police has roped in Jusco to set up iron and steel barriers at two strategic points, one at the extreme end of Anil Sur Path and the other on Sati Ghat Road, both converging at Marine Drive.
Usually, heavy vehicles, especially dumpers, take the short cut to Adityapur toll bridge via Kadma instead of Marine Drive, citing the extra detour and the cratered stretch as reasons. If a truck takes the Marine Drive route to the toll bridge, it has to cover 10km, but if it goes via Kadma, it needs to travel less than 3km, saving fuel and time.
But speeding heavy vehicles on Kadma roads spell disaster. Already chock-a-block with two-wheelers, cars and pedestrians, roads see a fair amount of trucks carrying essential supplies during the day. At night, slag-laden dumpers flout all speed limits. Traffic police, present between 6am and 10pm, prevent trucks from exceeding the prescribed 20kmph limit but dumpers at night are known to surpass 60-70kmph.
Once erected, permanent barricades will prevent all heavy vehicles from entering Kadma everyday, barring emergencies. The nut-and-bolt arrangement will, however, facilitate their dismantling to allow fire engines or trucks during Durga Puja immersion.
Deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Rakesh Mohan Srivastava said they decided to put up barriers after getting complaints from residents and feedback from Kadma police.
“It’s a serious hazard and deserves to be treated as such. Roads of a densely populated residential area such as Kadma can’t have heavy vehicles moving at will. Drivers of trucks and dumpers take the Kadma short cut to reach Adityapur toll bridge. We want to stop this practice,” he said.
Srivastava added that they decided on the strategic barricade points after a survey.
“They have been chosen after deliberation. Barricades of iron and steel would be a firm deterrent to heavy vehicles. Keeping in mind certain exigencies, we have made it a point to make them flexible for dismantling too,” he added.
More barricades will come up if needed, he added.
Kadma residents have welcomed the move. Biswanath Sahu, a resident of Green Park, Uliyan in Kadma, said the move was a relief. “Right now, dumpers speed like crazy at night. If the barricading system works, residents will feel safer,” Sahu said.
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