For clean air, Dimapur experiments with traffic lights again

July 26, 2023 22 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 26

The Dimapur Police today officially launched the Improvised Traffic Control System (ITCS) at the city’s two crucial junctions – Holy Cross Traffic Point and Nagarjan Traffic Point.

The city’s traffic management system was initiated under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which was spearheaded by the efforts of Commissioner of Police (CP) Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie.

During the launch, the Commissioner remarked that it was a privilege to have started a modest project in the city which is expected to contribute to a cleaner air and environment to a certain extent.

Kevithuto Sophie, IPS Commissioner of Police, Dimapur officially launching the Improvised Traffic Control System at Holy Cross Traffic Point, Dimapur on July 25. (Morung Photo)

He also acknowledged the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) and the state’s Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for sponsoring the project as well as DCP (Crime), Khekali Y Sema for her support.

While everyone is aware that we are now living in a polluted world, Sophie maintained that there is much talk and no work.

This is only a beginning as a model concept to contribute to cleaner air, he reiterated and called upon every commuter from the city, from other districts as well the neighboring states to abide by the traffic rules and signal lights, and make this goal a success.

The ITCS will be controlled manually from the booth and will not be operational 24/7.

The Commissioner further maintained that it is cost effective and will be controlled as per the traffic flow of the roads, adding that it is advantageous, convenient and feasible in many ways.

The newly installed traffic lights will be manned by the traffic police on its stand for about a month in order to let the commuters be familiarised with the system.

If the plan succeeds, it will extend it to other junctions as well.

The team also plans to turn it into an intelligent control system where there will be one controller room which will monitor the whole of the city traffic through CCTVs, Sophie disclosed, while stating that they cannot do it alone but, with cooperation from the citizens, the task will be made easier.

In his speech, K Hukato Chishi, Member Secretary, NPCB & State Nodal Officer, NCAP acknowledged the Dimapur Police led by Sophie for the opportunity given to the NCAP to reach out to the citizens of Dimapur and the entire state.

Air quality in Dimapur deteriorating
The programme came about as a result of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) setting a standard for air quality in all the cities and towns, where for Nagaland, Dimapur and Kohima did not meet the air quality standard, he informed.

In the State level, the mandate is given to the NPCB to analyse the quality which is done by using an instrument called RDS (Respirable Dust Sampler).

For the past three years since the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched, as per the data, the air quality of Kohima city is improving, whereas the air quality in Dimapur is deteriorating, Chishi said.

Stating the importance of the ITCS, he remarked that in any city where there is an intersection and when there is heavy traffic load, it leads to emission of smoke from the vehicles which lead to air pollution.

And this is where the Police Department, especially the traffic wing has to play its role to improve the air quality, he added.

Six departments – Dimapur Municipal Council, District Administration, the Dimapur Police and East Dimapur, Chümoukedima ADC and DFO Dimapur are the implementing agencies under the NCAP. He noted that a single department alone cannot bring about air improvement in the affected areas.

Chishi also said that the potted flowers perched along the dividers act as air purifiers as it absorbs the dust, which comes from the concept of vertical garden, leading to improvement of air quality.

Lauding the Commissioner and his team for starting a great initiative, Chishi also expected the other departments to follow suit and work together as team.

“It may take some time, but we are hopeful and the target is achievable,” he maintained further urging the citizens to bring about behavoural changes in one’s lifestyle so that we start to live in a way that improves the air quality and not the other way round.

An amount of 9 lakh was sanctioned for this project.