'Chandni Chowk Sewa' saddled with traffic mismanagement

New Delhi, July 16 (UNI) Almost a month after 'Chandni Chowk Sewa' (CCS) was started to decongest the walled city, the minibus service is finding itself burdened with traffic mismanagement it had vowed to help get rid of.

The Fountain route from Delhi Public Library, Opposite Old Delhi Railway Station, Church Mission Road, Fateh Puri, Town Hall, Haldirams to Fountain witnesses severe traffic congestion even in the early morning hours. The activities of goods handling are as rampant as earlier, especially at the Fateh Puri and Church Mission Road by means of tempos and push carts.

Cycle-rickshaws ply all through the day, catering to immense crowd on this route, much to the inconvenience of the minibus drivers.

Also can be seen plying on this route are tempos which, ideally, should remain off the road between 0008 hrs and 2100 hrs.

The frequency of the minibus service is further reduced by the tempos and cycle-rickshaws which move and wait unabated at the Meena Bazar, Esplanade Area and opposite Old Delhi railway station Gate no 2.

The staff of the CCS was once allegedly threatened on this route by the tempo drivers.

The auto-rickshaw drivers provide short-route services for Rs 5 per passenger in Chandni Chowk much the same way as the CCS, thereby replacing the cycle-rickshaws. They illegally ferry more than three passengers at a time.

However, this was brought under control after a recent meeting of the authorities concerned but some of it still remains.

"The auto-rickshaws are parked ahead of our buses. You can see the menace as the day advances,'' said a driver of a minibus. "The traffic problem is severe on the Fountain route,'' he added.

Surprisingly, many commuters find this new auto-rickshaw service better than the 'overcrowded' minibuses. Many still feel that cycle-rickshaws are any day better for they are economical and charge just three rupees per person for the same route as that of the CCS and can be hired from anywhere.

While this is the situation on weekdays, on Sundays all the cycle-rickshaws are out of the side lanes and on to the main routes, as are all other restricted motor vehicles.

The transport company concerned has, according to sources, written to the State Transport Authority (STA), the nodal agency in the project and other government agencies involved, seeking solution to the various bottlenecks.

Meanwhile, the government has asked for another 15 buses on these routes, the sources added.

UNI