Hundreds of motorists taking the road from Moti Mosque to Hamidia Hospital and vice versa are unaware of the fast that they are commuting on one-way route. The city’s one of the busiest roads is witnessing traffic chaos day in and day out as motorists from two directions are traversing through the Sadar Manzil road, which on papers is a one-way route. The commuters are not to be blamed as no one, neither the civic body nor the traffic department ever brought to their notice that they are commuting on one-way road.
In absence of proper signboards and deployment of traffic personnel on both the ends, the uninformed motorists are driving the wrong way down. The traffic department has not yet deployed any of its personnel to check the commuters breaking the one-way arrangement. They are waiting for BMC to put up proper signage on the road indicating one-way driving only then they would depute its man on the route near Iqbal Maidan.
To add to commuters woes, the busy road has been encroached upon by vendors. Four major establishments, including school, hotel, a marriage hall, the office building of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), also lie on the route. Hundreds of visitors and patients coming to Hamadia hospital also add to the traffic pressure.
Dr Anand Sharma, Hamidia hospital of blood bank in-charge
Doctors prefer to take other route from Karbala to VIP road even if they have to go to Ibrahimpura or the other way around. Even that route is heavily encroached and during evening hours traffic it becomes very difficult to drive via Iqbal Maidan to Moti Mosque square.
Pradeep Singh Chouhan, ASP traffic
The shortcoming is on the part of BMC, the civic body will be asked to put up a bigger one-way signboard to enable motorist to see it properly. The existing signage is too small to be visible to commuters. Once the BMC installs bigger signboard near junctions at Iqbal Maidaan and Hamidia road, we will deploy personnel to ensure that the one-way rule is followed.
Dr Yash Saraf, head of casualty department in Hamidia hospital says
Emergency vehicles such as ambulance too get stuck in the traffic jam. Will write to BMC and traffic department to ensure smooth passage of emergency vehicles.
Daim Rabbani, Hamidia area resident
The road is one way and the commuters are required to take another route while crossing Hamadia Square. However, most of the people are now aware of the one-way road and this causes heavy congestion.