Ganeshotsav, Mahalaxmi weekend to test Nagpur traffic, police on alert
Ganeshotsav and Mahalaxmi festival falling on a weekend this year has Nagpur traffic police bracing for heavy congestion at markets and religious sites.
With the festive season beginning in Nagpur district, traffic police are bracing for a tough test on city roads. This time Ganeshotsav and Mahalaxmi festival coincide with a weekend, and the number of vehicles around markets, major squares and religious sites is expected to rise sharply.
Keeping traffic moving smoothly in these conditions will be a major task for the police. Along with people heading out for festive shopping, public events and Ganesh mandals will add to the vehicle load on several key city roads.
During Ganeshotsav, the installation of idols, darshan and other programmes across different parts of the city lead to bigger crowds on the roads, especially in the evening. Large numbers of people also head to markets to shop during Mahalaxmi festival. With weekend crowds added to this, traffic pressure on the city's main roads could increase further.
As evening sets in, vehicles start crawling in market areas. People returning from office, families out shopping and citizens heading to religious events are all on the road at the same time, which can affect traffic speed in several places. Parking shortages near major markets could also become a problem for traffic management. Traffic police will need to keep extra personnel deployed at sensitive points to keep traffic under control.
During festivals, controlling traffic through signals alone is difficult, so police presence at major intersections may be increased. In areas where crowds are expected to be heavy, apart from controlling vehicles, police will need to keep an eye on wrong parking and vehicles parked haphazardly along roadsides. In case of a jam, traffic will need to be diverted to alternative routes immediately.
Parking could be the biggest problem for people visiting markets for festive shopping. If vehicles parked along roadsides further reduce the width of already busy roads, the jam situation could turn serious. Nagpur traffic police will need to keep vehicle movement flowing while also controlling parking.
During festivals, Nagpur district sees a rise in encroachments. Encroachers set up food stalls and carts in main market areas, at squares and on footpaths among other places. Vehicles belonging to customers visiting these carts get parked on the road itself, narrowing even wide roads and causing traffic to jam up completely. Curbing encroachments will also be a challenge for the administration.
