Morung Express News Dimapur | December 5 December - It’s that month of the year when the air over Nagaland automatically shifts gear to a festive mood. From decorative lights to banners welcoming Christmas, or the impending New Year and hoardings advertising ‘special festive’ sales everywhere, it is the time of festive season rush. As the roads of Dimapur become increasingly congested so does the number of revelrous commuters. Road safety becomes all the more a priority for an under stressed Traffic police on narrow roads in an unplanned landscape further aggravated by drivers without road etiquette. While the existing Traffic regulation in Dimapur will remain till such time fresh directive is issued, the Dimapur Traffic Police (DTP) has appealed to the commuters to adhere to road safety norms. “Respecting and obeying traffic rules should be the priority of all commuters,” commented ACP (Traffic I), Sezo Peseyie on Saturday. The Traffic rules, besides others, include parking in the designated spots, avoiding outmanoeuvring in single-lane roads, maintaining speed limit and distance between vehicles, using low beam light when passing at night etc. While expanding road width has become almost impossible and adding over passes a reverie, strict implementation on the part of the Traffic police and compliance on the part of the commuters has become the word of the day. ACP Peseyie further felt that spreading awareness and sensitising would also go a long way in easing the problem of vehicular congestion. In tandem with displaying public hoardings and newspaper publications, he said that the DTP’s collaboration with Dreamz Unlimited to produce an awareness video was one such effort. The video was released through social media and can also be viewed in the Dimapur Police Facebook page. On the plans to deal with the December traffic, Peseyie said that while the existing regulation will remain, the DTP will try to rope in NGO volunteers like it did in the previous years. For the past few years, Christian Higher Secondary School (CHSS) campus has acted as a temporary parking lot during December. Last December, the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union and the Baptist Youth Fellowship volunteered with the former assisting Traffic personnel at NL Road and the latter managing parking at the CHSS campus. Asked if it is really necessary to have volunteers assist the Traffic police, Peseyie replied, “It is in one way an effort to spread the message and sensitize the public.” He further felt that the public is gradually realising the responsibility and pressure felt by the Traffic police. “It’s new and very encouraging to the Traffic personnel,” he said referring to instances of NGOs offering snacks and refreshments to field personnel on several occasions during the year. With no conclusive survey till date, conservative estimate suggest that vehicular traffic in Dimapur increase by threefold during December. Add to it drunk driving and to curb that Peseyie said the Traffic police will be stepping up the use of breathalyzers. As per the MV Act, any driver with blood alcohol reading above 30 percent in 100 ml of blood can be penalised. Driving under the influence (DUI) could include either jail term or fine or both and for any contravention of the MV Act, the fine may extend up to Rs. 100 for the first offence and up to Rs. 300 for the second. Till date however there is reportedly no record of anyone being jailed or driver’s licence being cancelled for DUI. The traffic snarls in Dimapur is said to have been compounded by the unregulated increase in the number of passenger autorickshaws. From the early 90s till date the District Transport Office is said to have registered some 16,000 autorickshaws in Dimapur.
