Traffic congestion has become a perpetual problem in the state capital Kohima. Commuters spend hours stuck in the town’s traffic snarl every day and many people are finding it harder to meet their deadlines. On weekdays, particularly Mondays, the congestion reaches a high-point as there is a rush for more people to get to different offices to get their works done. Coupled with the increase in rural population migrating to the town, the number of vehicles is also quickly increasing as a growing middle class can now afford to buy cars.
Some of the major reasons for traffic congestion are the absence of a rapid transit system, the lack of proper urban planning, poorly maintained road surfaces with potholes rapidly eroding by frequent flooding during monsoon due to poor or non-existent drainage systems, haphazard stopping and parking, lack of driving etiquettes and lack of alternative routes. Also, military convoys, consisting mostly heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses, constantly plying the National Highway which cuts across the town add to the woe of congestion.
The road traffic literally crawls at a snail’s pace if one is travelling on the National Highway stretch from Lerie-Mohonkhola-BOC-PHQ Junction towards the town on any weekday’s morning hours. Of course, similar situation is faced by commuters approaching from any direction to the town, however they are slightly milder.
Although vehicles belonging to VIPs and VVIPs along with their escorts can jump the beelines anytime and the occupants of these cars may not feel the hassle of a traffic snarl, traffic congestions have many negative impacts on the common man starting from wasting the precious time of motorists and passengers thereby becoming a non-productive activity for most people, to causing delays resulting in late arrival for employment, meetings, appointments etc. while imposing on the citizens the inability to forecast travel time accurately. Blocked traffic may also interfere with the passage of emergency vehicles travelling to destinations where they are urgently needed.
There is no immediate remedy to this traffic farce of Kohima but the authorities need to step in and address the present chaos while long term measures are formulated. It is easy to say - build more roads, introduce more convenient public transit based on new technology etc. There are many possible solutions, but none comes easy or cheap. Nevertheless, the moot point here remains the same- traffic congestions will continue to increase.
There may not be any simple solution to this problem but it is time to call to mind that the effects are damaging to both the town and the people who live there.
