Installation of barrier aggravates traffic problem at DMCH

The barricades installed to prevent people from illegally parking vehicles around the public park outside Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, have failed to provide relief from traffic snarls, as vehicles are now being parked in the middle of the road.

The ambulances and vehicles usually get stuck in traffic outside the hospitals due to wrong parking of vehicles on the road.

Earlier, hundreds of bikes were parked around the park, but barricades were installed to prevent such parking, which encroached upon around 6-10 feet area of the road.

But now, the vehicles are being parked next to the barricades due to which nearly half portion of the road gets blocked. Despite installation of “No Parking” boards by the police, illegal parking on roads could not be stopped.

A shopkeeper, requesting anonymity, said, “I don’t know who has installed these barricades, but this is not the way to stop illegal parking. Actually, a traffic cop should be deployed to deal with the traffic-related problems and the cops should not allow anybody to park vehicles there.”

“Despite installation of barricades, the wrong parking of vehicles has not stopped. Though the bikes are not parked here, but four-wheelers are being parked along the barricades due to which half portion of the road gets blocked,” he said.

Gautam Bhatacharya, supervisor of the security wing at DMCH, “We have installed the barricades here with the permission of traffic police, so that nobody could park vehicles in illegal way. Earlier, the ambulances used to get stuck in traffic jams.”

But the residents and shopkeepers claimed that the installation of these barricades have increased the problem.

Medical superintendent Dr Ashwani Chaudhary said, “The surroundings of the hospital should be cleared. The traffic police should cooperate with the hospital to redress the issue. We want to clear the area so that every patient could reach hospital in time. We will take the required action, if these barricades are creating hurdles.”

When contacted, traf fic incharge Vinod Kumar said, “We have not installed any barricades, but I will look into the matter.”