Retired President Medal Winning IPS Officer
Nagpur has undergone tremendous change over the last decade. The transformed Nagpur is now bustling with activity and a series of mega projects aimed at changing the city’s look. The progress and ongoing developmental activity brings big cheer to the faces of average Nagpurians. The change symbolises aspirations of the citizens.
But there is a flip side to it.
Nagpur’s growth is adversely impacting city’s traffic, leading to congestion on city roads, lamented retired IPS official and traffic expert Shri TB Deotale. The city’s growth has also been influenced by factors like increase in population and influx of people from other areas in huge numbers. The migration from rural to urban areas has not spared the city, very similar to other metropolis.
Shri TB Deotale was associated with Nagpur police for a considerable span of 11 years till 2006. He served as DCP (Traffic) in the same period. His long stay and experience as DCP (Traffic), makes Shri Deotale an expert on city’s traffic-related issues. Though, roads are being re-laid and re-built, city’s traffic problems are far from over, he said. The solution to city’s traffic problems lies in commuting with Metro, he said.
Riding a two-wheeler or driving a four-wheeler on city roads has become a major challenge today. Other than congestion, one has to endure the parking problem and vehicular pollution on city roads. Given the rising number of mishaps, a road-ride in Nagpur may be beset with danger. Overall 780 people lost their lives in three years between 2016 and 2019.
Number of road mishaps in the city
Sr. No.  Year      Mishap  Injured  Fatalities
1.      2016    1,373   1,510     310
2.      2017    1,242    1,285     232
3.     2018    1,117    1,183     238
The absence of an effective transport mechanism, coupled with increasing population and people’s influx, have led to surge of two-wheelers on the city roads. Overall, 19,00,500 vehicles have been registered by the end of last year on city roads. The chaos on roads, created by this huge number of vehicles can easily be understood, Shri Deotale added.
Number of vehicles in city (Till 2018)
2-wheelers        4-wheelers        Other (5-wheeler etc)   Total
13,29,223Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,79,206Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,92,068Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 19,00,500
The rising vehicular pollution levels in the city, due to release of contaminants like Sulphur-di-Oxide, Nitrous-di-Oxide and Carbon Mono-Oxide is harmful. The ever-increasing pollution levels is a serious health hazard. One can’t forget fact that riding two-wheeler means carrying helmet with him or her.
Travelling by Metro will ensure congestion-free roads, pollution-free atmosphere and accident-free roaming. Moreover with Metro providing feeder service for last mile connectivity, travelling to work place has become a lot easier now. Other than these factors, a Metro ride gives its users freedom to indulge in leisurely activities like reading or listening to music.
Having witnessed and experienced the city traffic and how it has evolved over the years – initially as an IPS officer and now as a senior citizen – Shri Deotale’s assume a lot of significance. It is hence pertinent that Metro becomes the first choice of travel for commuters, he said and hoped that Nagpurians will support the project in the future too, as they have been doing now.
The Metro project would thus be Gain, Gain and Gain for the city, Gain as freedom from pollution, congestion and accidents.
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