NATIONAL 9 (Spotlight Weelky)]

Traffic Un-jammed

The government imposes strict provisions to avoid traffic jams during the SAARC Summit

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

It is a traffic police officer's nightmare. As the city prepares to play host to six heads of state and government during the upcoming 11th SAARC Summit, the mere thought of roads clogged by VVIP movements is giving shivers to the average commuter.

"I shudder to think how I would manage to reach work on time during the SAARC days," said Jairam Bista, an employee at a private company. Bista remembers previous visits by VVIPs when the whole of Kathmandu's traffic would come to a grinding halt whenever the honored guest visited some temple or park in the valley. "This time the number of visiting VVIPS is a whopping six. Imagine how their movements would affect the city's traffic," he added.

Vehicles in the street : Tough days ahead

Sharing Bista's fears, the authorities this time have imposed tough measures to prevent such snarls. Large and small public vehicles and other private goods carriers have been prohibited from plying along or within the Ring Road in the capital between 7 am to 10 pm from December 30, 2001 to January 8, 2002, an official announcement said last week.

According to the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management, public transport and tourist vehicles with uneven numbers are required to ply only on uneven days and those with even numbers on even days. This arrangement will not apply to the vehicles to be used for SAARC purposes, which will be provided passes by the Valley Traffic Police Office, the ministry said. Previously, private vehicles were ordered to stick to the odd-even routine, but the order was withdrawn after opposition.

Meanwhile, commuters are already getting a taste of what they are likely to face during the SAARC days. The authorities have been organizing rehearsals of VVIP escorts at different places of Kathmandu by plugging off major routes of the city to all kinds of vehicles from time to time.

Members of Soaltee

The movements of VVIPs this time are attracting extra attention because of security reasons as well. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf and Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga always move around under heavy security cover.

It may be due to this reason that the authorities are planning to pick them up from their hotels and drop them at the summit venue, the Birendra International Convention Center in Baneshwore, via helicopter. "The use of choppers in their movements could ease some of the traffic tensions as well," said Bista.

As the authorities prepare to throw thick cordons of security around the distinguished guests, the residents of Kathmandu, while upbeat about the opportunity to welcome them, are trembling at the thought of how seriously their daily life may be affected.

The authorities, on the other hand, hope the tough restrictions they have put on vehicular movement would lessen the prospects of traffic jams when Gen. Musharraf, Prime Minister Vajpayee and the other leaders criss-cross the congested streets of Kathmandu.