Route plan for hassle-free ride

Kalimpong, May 24,TT: A committee made up of members of a senior citizens’ body and an NGO here submitted a proposal to the subdivisional officer of Kalimpong last week suggesting measures to streamline the traffic in town.

Members of the Senior Citizens of Kalimpong and the Gorkha Dukhi Niwarak Sanmelan under the banner of Kalimpong Sangrakchhan Samiti submitted the list to L. N. Sherpa with a detailed plan to regulate traffic in town.

“The SDO has agreed to study our suggestions and get back to us,” said B.K. Pradhan, a former assistant engineer of the Kalimpong municipality who heads the samiti.

According to the proposal, buses entering the town through Lower Rishi Road should stop at and originate from the new terminus below Novelty Cinema. Smaller passenger vehicles must also halt at the new bus stand but they can start from the Motor Stand.

A vehicle that has to pick up passengers from Motor Stand should reach the place 30 minutes before its scheduled time of departure mentioned in the roster prepared by their respective motor syndicates.

Currently passenger vehicles stop at the Motor Stand and are also parked there indefinitely making the place congested. The samiti has suggested that vehicles entering the town through the Lower Rishi Road should take the Thanadara and the Main Road to reach the Motor Stand through the stretch near the old Prem Store.

Cars leaving Motor Stand should ply through the Ongden road-Upper Cart Road and meet the Lower Rishi Road either via the approach route to the Government High School, Justice Biswas Road or Atisha Road, the proposal says.

Vehicles plying through D.S. Gurung Road should exit from the stretch near old Prem Store and the entry of trucks to the town should be barred between 7am and 5pm.

The members have said the footpaths should be freed of encroachers to ensure free movement for pedestrians.

SDO Sherpa said he would soon call a meeting of all stakeholders like the political parties, the associations of motor vehicle owners and drivers and the traffic police to discuss the samiti’s suggestions.