by Nitin J Maniyal
Do you kill your father if he has fever or you rather give him a few doses of medicine with which he can be alright? Does any doctor help the child in killing his father or rather make him understand in not indulging in any such act? So is the condition of our Belagavi City, where the city corporation is acting like a child willing to kill the city (father), Destruction and demolishing activities have remained the news of the city for the last few months. A few appreciated projects like Old PB Road and 3rd Gate to Peeranwadi, were the much required plans for the last few years. However master-plans in the city will kill several hundreds of traders and will impact a several thousand along with their employees and families. The market area of every city does have a lot of traffic, but that does not mean they have master-plan everywhere possible, for example Chickpet in Bengaluru, Tito’s lane in Goa, Colaba Causeway in Mumbai, etc. There are several thousands of people visiting these places every day, however that makes an atmosphere.
Doctor the supporter, Mr.S Ravi the Police Commissioner of Belagavi has been said to support the City Corporation in all regards, without even caring for the people of Belagavi.
Does a doctor serve the society or help a murderer? It’s a doubt created in the minds of people.
There can different remedies for a marketplace:
Installation of More Traffic Police: If more traffic police is installed on different corners of the marketplace most of the traffic problems can be resolved as they would properly guide the citizens in resolving the traffic problems.
Active Traffic Police: The Traffic police of Belgaum needs to be more and more active with the overgrowing traffic; we find vehicles parked in No Parking Zones, Vehicles plying both ways even in one-ways, Vehicles parked at corners of the road creating buckle, still no actions on such wrong doers. The cops should be authoritarians and have a wider vigilance as in Bangalore, Goa, Jaipur and many other cities in India.
Penalties to wrong doers: Charge heavy penalties to the wrong doers, anybody who parks vehicles in No Parking Zones, Vehicles Parked on Corners obstructing the public, Vehicles plying wrong sided in one ways, etc. With strict vigilance and toing of vehicles to police stations could solve a major problem. With this even it would be learning to the citizens of Belagavi, they may mistake once, but will definitely not repeat them again.
Removal of Hawkers: Hawkers standing on both sides of the road merely block the road and obstruct the walking public along with the two wheelers, however moving the hawkers to Burud Galli and Kombdi Market could be a good move which in turn could improve the business of these hawkers, but the feasibility still remains a question because of narrow roads in Burud Galli & Kombdi Market.
Self-Responsibility of Business Houses: Business Houses should be self responsible not to capture the road by bringing out their boards, display of samples or counters and being in the limits of their premises only.
With the implementation of the above remedies, there can be 100% solution to the traffic problems without even conducting a master-plan even on a single road. The citizens may have to face the heat for a few days but later everybody will be benefited by these remedies in future.
‘Systematic Traffic is Everybody’s Benefit’
I appeal to the authorities not destruct and demolish, it’s a sincere request from the General Public
Please Don’t Kill Us.
About the Author: Nitin J Maniyal is a Lecturer at Jain Degree College Belagavi.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AAB and AAB does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Very well said sir, but even if they are demolishing the infrastructure of Belagavi they should complete the need, distruction at khanapur road is now a distraction , if u are putting a building down then complete the task of making. “A Road” there why you just want to make our beautiful city look ugly.
Exactly….. Many areas are demolished and just kept like that…. Please arrange for some remedies… Above all even rainfall… it’s seriously creating a lot of problems.. Traffic.. Dirt…
I am surprised to see the intelligentia not supporting development. It is heartening to see something positive happening in the city. However agree that proper compensation should be given to people who have lost homes and shops. The latter part of it that is bringing in discipline in parking is most essential and well said. Hope something good happens and quickly in the interest of the city
then why isnt the same done as per law after giving compnensation as per law
I fully endorse Mr Nitin Maniyal’s views on the govt’s recent approach to development of the city by undertaking haphazard demolitions for road widening without any concrete plans in place for the follow up works. Indeed certain areas of the market(Ravivar Peth) could have been better managed by restricting traffic as has now been proposed for certain roads ( Maruti Galli, Ramdev Galli, Ganapat Galli etc). Relocation of road-side hawkers and vendors alone could have partially solved the congestion on the roads. In many Western countries, the old bazaar areas are retained in their original state after carrying out periodic maintenance for nostalgic pleasure of the people. The civic administrators need to give due regard to the sentiments and feelings of the local people with regard to certain pockets of the old areas of the city where they have grown up. Similarly we the people of Belagavi need to wake up to the realities of the ever increasing traffic snarls of the city and become more self-disciplined especially while parking our vehicles and driving our vehicles within the city.