Cuttack, Feb. 19: Police have set up an enforcement squad to resolve various traffic related issues in the city.
The squad has been empowered to conduct surprise checks and penalise violators for obstructing major roads and parking illegally. The joint enforcement squad, headed by assistant commissioner of police (traffic) P.K. Dalai, will conduct a detailed assessment of the traffic situation and take steps to resolve issues on a priority basis.
Other members of the squad include officials of the regional transport office, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Development Authority and the electricity department. A senior official said the squad would shortly take initiatives to make the city roads free from encroachments. The squad members will conduct special drives at various locations to identify basic issues leading to chaos, congestion and then devise measures to fix such problems. It has been formed to ensure better co-ordination among various departments and prompt decision and action by the executing authorities.
"The joint enforcement squad has started crackdown on various roadside encroachments along the thoroughfares. The busy stretch at Badambadi was cleared yesterday," said Dalai.
Action will be taken against those obstructing roads by parking their vehicles illegally or dumping debris and other construction materials on major thoroughfares, he said.
"Despite a lot of awareness and enforcement drives in the past, the traffic situation so far has remained unchanged. We hope that the joint enforcement squad comes up with concrete measures to resolve congestion," said Sandip Mohanty, a commuter. A decision to form such a squad was taken in August last year. The high court had earlier formed the traffic management committee with the commissioner of police as its ex-officio head.
A senior official of the development authority said the formation of the joint squad would be helpful in carrying out eviction drives and ensuring law and order.
A proper co-ordination can be maintained among department officials in finalising the projects, including the civic body's proposal to set up parking lots and autorickshaw stands, to upgrade traffic infrastructures. Besides, other projects can also be executed, especially in getting clearances or the no-objection certificates.
