The cover of the Salt Lake police Puja guide map

Apuja road guide map has been launched by Bidhannagar Commissionerate to inform residents about the traffic routes during the festive days.

Named Bidhannagar Puja Guide Map-2012, the booklet was lauched by painter Subhaprasanna and football players Gouramagi Singh and Renti Martin on Tuesday. Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, deputy commissioner (headquarters) Subrata Banerjee and deputy commissioner (traffic) Pranab Kumar were also present along with officers from police statiosn under the commissionerate.

To tackle traffic congestion around popular pujas, the cops have chalked out detailed plans. “FD Block and Labony pujas are huge crowd-pullers and this year AK Block is also planning a big-ticket puja. The governor is expected to inaugurate their celebrations,” said Arko Banerjee, assistant commissioner of police, Traffic II.

In case of FD Block, no vehicles would be allowed to ply from EC Island to FD Island, from FD Island to Netaji Statue and from FD Island to Labony Island. No-parking zones have been created on both sides of Broadway from Netaji Statue till FD/FE Island. The no-parking zone will continue from FD/FE Island, cross Administrative training Institute (ATI) up to EC Block in front of City Centre. Vehicles will also not be allowed to park between EC Park and Vidyasagar Island. Cars can be parked under the Metro track between Vidyasagar Island to Indira Bhavan.

Parking will be allowed on the service road of Broadway between GD Block and Beleghata Connector, but only on the left hand side if approaching from Netaji Statue.

The thermal printer and Blackberry used by traffic police. (below) A policeman takes a printout of a traffic violation receipt. Pictures by Saradindu Chaudhury

In case of the Labony puja, parking would be allowed from Kendriya Vidyalaya I to Bidhannagar College.

In the case of AK Block, vehicles will not be allowed to park between Tank 8 Island and the canal-side road between AJ and AK Block. But cars can enter and park between Tank 8 to Tank 8 Island. All the traffic restrictions would be in operation from Panchami.

“We have not made the traffic regime too strict. We want pandal-hoppers to enjoy the pujas,” said DC (traffic) Pranab Kumar.

The guides have been distributed to councillors and will be available at police assistance booths at big pujas.

The police has also readied identity badge for children visiting pandals. 'These badges would be available at police assistance booths at pandals with the highest footfalls. Parents may collect them and pin them on their children's clothes,” said Kumar.

Permanent no-parking zones

Besides the temporary arrangements for the pujas, the police has introduced some permanent changes too.

On October 2, a notification was issued by Bidhannagar Commissionerate to identify five stretches as permanent no-parking zones. These are Bhikharam Chandmal Island to Royal Bank of Scotland, CA Island to Salt Lake gate no 4, CA Island to PNB Island, CA Island to Vidyasagar Island and Tank 9 Island to HDFC Bank Island at CJ Block.

Both sides of the road in these stretches is now out of bounds for parking,' informed Swarup Sen, traffic inspector who is in charge of Salt Lake and Sector V.

Besides these there are other no-parking zones, such as the roads between JK Saha Bridge to College More, College More to SDF Building, SDF Building to Bowlers Den and the road in HB Block opposite Big Bazaar. But these are temporary. This means that the parking restriction can be lifted if the authorities deem fit.

“We shall get more notifications soon to create some more permanent no-parking zone. They will allow smooth movement of traffic,” said Banerjee.

Hi-tech fine collection

Should you park in any of the no-parking zones or violate any other traffic rule, a policeman could come and use his Blackberry to levy a spot fine on you and his portable thermal printer to give you a receipt of your payment.

Bidhannagar Commissionerate has introduced a Blackberry spot fine system where 3G mobile technology-enabled Blackberry phones would be used to extract information about the vehicle at offence. “The officer will use his Blackberry to access database that we have received from Regional Transport Office, Barasat. Once the licence plate number of a vehicle is entered, the officer will get to read its history, including past offences,” said Banerjee.

A thermal printer is connected to the cellphone through bluetooth and once the officer gives the command, it will print two receipts of the of fine. One of these will be handed to the offender and the second will be retained with the officer.

There are 30 such phone-and-printer sets allotted to the traffic department of the Bidhannagar Commissionerate but more than half of them are under lock-and key. Eight are being used by the traffic guards, five by traffic inspectors and Banerjee himself carries one set. Out of the 14 remaining sets, nine are stored in the police stations under the commissionerate and the rest seven are in kept in the commissionerate office for future use. So 16 out of the 30 sets are not in use.

Road markings

The township will get new stop lines and zebra crossings once the monsoon ends. 'We are waiting for dry spell. We have plans to paint new road markings but rainwater would wash them away if painted now,' said Banerjee.

While the number of markings and the spots was not disclosed it is understood that the Broadway, from Beleghata Connector to Netaji Statue would get some at strategic locations as it gets difficult for pedestrians to cross it during rush hours.

Web presence

Bidhannagar City Police has created a page in social networking site facebook. “We have a traffic complaint record sheet there, for visitors to lodge complaints. We also post updates as and when action is taken against offenders,” said Banerjee.

Visitors who have lost their cellphones and laptops and who have lodged an FIR, can also log in for updates on the investigation. At present the page is flooded with complaints of taxi refusal, of auto drivers demanding exorbitant fares and of buses not following traffic rules.

For the pujas the police has started a drive, asking youths to help them man assistance booths. Volunteers may work at the puja of their choice. Details are available in the facebook page.

The department also plans to create its own web page soon.

Future plan

The police will soon have camera-mounted vehicles plying around the township to monitor traffic better. “The cameras would be streaming live footage to our police stations,” said Banerjee.

After the Pujas, the police will also purchase breath analysers to check for drunken drivers and clamps to lock cars that are parked in no parking zones.

At present, the traffic department does not have a control room but a room is under construction. Till then residents can dial 90512-13100 to lodge any traffic rule violations.