K M Dayashankar
No rights for pedestrians to walk on footpaths as they are encroached by traders and vendors
Auto wallahs encroach every available road in the town by erecting a signboard stating that it is their ‘auto-stand’
But the pedestrians have no rights and struggle to walk in the town
KARIMNAGAR, AUGUST 11, 2024: Karimnagar Town, which is growing in leaps and bounds and is the so-called Smart City, has attained a dubious distinction in the country for not having zebra crossings at any of the traffic signals in the entire Karimnagar town.
Thanks to the Smart City project and the availability of huge funds, the Municipal authorities installed traffic signals at every nook and corner causing traffic snarls instead of easing the traffic woes. The installation of traffic signals had become a big cause of concern for the people of the town due to frequent snarls in the town.
Though MCK officials have constructed the footpaths by narrowing the existing wide roads in the town, none of the footpaths are made viable for the pedestrians to use as the traders have encroached upon them by displaying their products. Besides, it had become a haven for the small traders to encroach the footpaths causing inconvenience to the pedestrians.
Though most city roads have the provision of Zebra crossing near the traffic signals and other intersections to help pedestrians to walk, the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation had attained dubious distinction for denying the Zebra crossings because of lethargy on the part of the officials and the elected representatives belonging to the BRS party.
The Zebra crossings must be made available at signals so that the vehiclists would stop behind them and allow the pedestrians to cross the roads with ease. Ironically, Karimnagar is the only town in the country which does not have Zebra crossings despite the installation of traffic signals and inclusion in the Smart City project.
Lok Satta Udyama Samstha Karimnagar town coordinator KS Narayana has demanded that the Municipal authorities launch a special drive to remove all encroachments of the roads, and footpaths in the entire town and make way for the pedestrians to walk freely. “People do not have the habit of following simple traffic etiquette or maybe they are not even aware. There is a need to impart education on traffic etiquette so that people start following the rules,” he stated.
Demanding the MCK authorities to ensure that there were Zebra crossings at all traffic signals, Lok Satta udyama samstha activist Syed Muzaffar said that the Traffic police in coordination with MCK authorities should remove all the encroachments of the footpaths and allow the pedestrians to use them. He said that the Traffic police should educate the people to use the footpaths by removing the encroachments.
He also said that the police instead of focusing on issuing e-challans for traffic including helmets, should focus on wrong-side driving, over-loading of autos, autos converting every available space as their parking ‘adda’ by erecting sign boards
