File image of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in Assembly. Image: DIPR

The process to acquire and introduce smaller buses in the city as public transport is under process. The larger older buses have been removed from the city roads.

This was disclosed by Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh while discussing the matter relating to Transport in the State Assembly on Wednesday.

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Biren said that the number of vehicles in the State has increased manifold. Regarding lack of parking spaces in the city, he said that the entire Thangal Bazar stretch starting from the Ima Market T-junction till Khuyathong traffic has already been declared ‘one way traffic’ and ‘no parking zones.’

The modality is to allow vehicles to drop and pick up customers along the road stretch. Efforts are also on to introduce this modality in other road stretches.

On the road congestions due to shop owners parking their vehicles along the roads, the Chief Minister also added to review the feasibility of MLA K Ranjit’s proposal of making shop owners, in the bazaar areas, to engage drop and pick up facilities so that they can park their vehicles at their home during the day.

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He also expressed the need to create awareness on the issue to the shop-owners beforehand. He said that the Smart City project has provision for three multi-storied parking units, but will take some time to complete; however, once it is complete, it will reduce the issue of parking to a great extent.

He also expressed the need to create mass public awareness to check traffic issues including use of dipper lights by vehicles at night. He also assured that the traffic checks during nights are tightened.

Meanwhile, joining the discussion on Education, the leader of the House also urged all members to provide details of teachers’ utilization from schools in their respective Assembly Constituencies, so that any discrepancies can be sorted out at the earliest.

Regarding shortage of teachers, he said that the government is serious about the issue and will try to engage Teachers Assistants for schools at the earliest as a stop-gate arrangement to provide temporary teachers to schools until regular teachers are employed.

 

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]