Agartala, Sept 3: With Durga Puja approaching, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) has stepped up preparations to ensure smoother traffic movement and better crowd management across the capital during the festive season.
In line with the directive of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder inspected the Old Motor Stand area on Thursday to assess traffic-related challenges and identify measures to reduce congestion during the Puja celebrations.
During the inspection, Majumder held discussions with civic and traffic officials on regulating vehicular movement, managing large crowds and ensuring hassle-free public movement. The discussions focused on improving traffic flow at busy locations and strengthening arrangements to deal with the expected increase in vehicles and pedestrians during the festival.
Agartala Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saju Wahid, Corporator Ratna Dutta, senior AMC officials and representatives of the traffic department accompanied the Mayor during the inspection.
The officials reviewed possible strategies for streamlining traffic and improving coordination between the civic body and traffic authorities. Particular emphasis was placed on preventing traffic bottlenecks and ensuring that commuters and visitors can move through the city with minimum inconvenience.
Durga Puja attracts large crowds to Agartala’s puja pandals, markets and shopping areas, resulting in a significant rise in vehicular and pedestrian movement. The civic authorities are therefore focusing on advance planning to prevent prolonged traffic snarls and maintain orderly movement throughout the celebrations.
Mayor Majumder said the objective is to ensure that residents can enjoy the festival without facing unnecessary traffic-related difficulties. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts by civic and traffic authorities to maintain smooth movement across the city.
The proposed measures are expected to benefit daily commuters as well as festival-goers by reducing delays and improving road safety. Smoother traffic movement will also facilitate easier access to puja pandals, marketplaces and commercial areas.
The authorities also highlighted the importance of keeping roads accessible for emergency services during the festive rush. Effective traffic regulation, they said, would help emergency vehicles navigate busy areas more efficiently.
Besides easing congestion, the initiative is aimed at improving the overall experience of visitors arriving in Agartala during Durga Puja. With increased tourist and visitor movement expected, better traffic management could also contribute to projecting the capital as an organised and visitor-friendly city.
The AMC and traffic authorities are expected to continue coordination in the coming days to finalise arrangements for a safe, smooth and congestion-free Puja season.
