Nashik Municipal Corporation to tie up with ITDP for improved traffic plan for city ahead of Kumbh Mela
Nashik: The civic body plans to tie up with the
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
(ITDP) to chalk out a traffic plan for the city, especially in view of the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2027.
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The
Nashik Municipal Corporation
(NMC) is engaging in the arrangement with ITDP to look for ways to ease traffic congestion and make the roads people-friendly, with the addition of safety features for pedestrians.
"ITDP will study the city roads and traffic movement and provide us with 'soft' solutions for enhancing traffic conditions. The entire activity will be free of cost. In fact, the institute will also work as a third party to monitor the changes being made," said NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri.
According to her, ITDP will use its expertise and propose technical support and solutions to NMC for traffic junction improvements to minimise accidents citywide.
"The ITDP will basically monitor the plans being made by consultants, advise changes, and NMC will go through and finalise them. The organisation will also, as a third party, monitor the execution for the NMC," said Khatri.
Instead of major infrastructural changes, the traffic plan will focus on tasks like shifting or removing traffic islands, installing refuge areas for pedestrians, and attempting to bring in behavioural changes among motorists.
Traffic issues are rising in Nashik city, prompting the corporation to tie up with an expert organisation to address issues like parking problems, congestion and accidents.
Another senior civic official noted that during the five years of the agreement between NMC and ITDP, the latter will aim to ensure a 'zero-accident city'.
Activities to be undertaken by ITDP include monitoring all nine entry points to the city, studying vehicles using various junctions and the time spent crossing them, and suggesting alternatives based on scientific methods.
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The organisation will also survey all major chowks and marketplaces to understand the psyche of commuters and pedestrians and suggest ways to improve the same. They plan to speak to more than 1.2% of city residents and ask them for suggestions to resolve the existing problems.
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