Acting chief secretary Sajal Chakraborty (in green) and traffic SP Rajeev Ranjan take stock of vehicular movement at Kishori Yadav Chowk in Ranchi on Saturday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, June 28: Acting chief secretary Sajal Chakraborty today hit the streets to take stock of the traffic situation in the state capital and promised corrective measures to ease bottlenecks.

This morning, Chakraborty held a meeting with superintendent of police (SP), traffic, Rajeev Ranjan Singh, who has prepared a three-pronged strategy to decongest city roads, at the state guesthouse in Morabadi to discuss ways to improve vehicle management.

After the meeting, the chief secretary in-charge went on a recce around the noon from Kishori Yadav Chowk to Kanta Toli, via Naga Baba Khatal, Kutchery Chowk and Lalpur Chowk. On this 3km stretched, he stopped at every crossings, investigating the problems that are slowing down vehicles.

Chakraborty, along with the traffic SP, spent around an hour on the roads discussing ways to ensure smooth drive.

Later, Singh said the senior bureaucrat had promised to start work on developing infrastructure soon to ease traffic. In the first stage, roads near roundabouts will be freed from encroachments, if any, and expanded. “The idea is to make the left lane free. It will allow vehicles turning left to move ahead even if the signal for the straight lane is red, reducing jams at the crossings,” said a senior police officer.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Chakraborty said the purpose of the exercise was to send across a message that the government was concerned about the slow traffic and wanted to do something to change the situation.

“Some minor changes can make a large different. It’s a duty of all to free traffic from jams and make city roads safe for commuters,” he added.

Asked about measures that he would take to mend the chaos on roads, he said the recommendations made by the traffic SP were practical and affordable.

Notably, Singh, a communiqué to South Chotanagpur Praveen Kumar earlier this month, has proposed basic infrastructure development, logistics support and awareness campaigns to decongest thoroughfares.

“The government will not have to make any large investment or acquire land. The suggestions could be implemented from tomorrow. But we will start work from July 20 following proper procedures to ensure transparency,” Chakraborty said.

Singh said he was happy that Chakraborty gave time to understand the problem and find solutions. “In the past 14 months, this is the first time I found someone who is taking interest in traffic management,” he said.