HC seeks authorities' explanations on chaotic traffic in Allahabad

The Allahabad High Court Tuesday said crores of rupees were sanctioned during the recent Kumbh to beautify the city and widen its roads, but nothing has been done to manage its traffic here.

A bench of justices PKS Baghel and Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made the remark, taking note of the chaotic vehicular traffic in the city, and issued notices to various authorities, seeking their explanations by July 12.

Recently, during Kumbh mela several crore rupees have been sanctioned by the Central and state governments for widening and beautification of the roads but no planning has been made to regulate traffic. There is complete lack of parking slots," observed the bench, taking suo motu cognisance of the "chaotic" traffic conditions in the city.

It issued notices to the state government's principal secretaries of urban development and finance departments, besides the city's district magistrate and its development authority's vice chairman, among others.

The bench directed the court's registry to register a public interest litigation on the issue and fix July 12 as its next date of hearing.

Taking note of lack of parking facilities in the city, the bench said, "We are apprised of the fact that there is only one multilevel parking at Civil Lines which has a total capacity of only 335 vehicles at a time in Civil Lines."