Too many vehicles on the narrow road. That is the layman’s definition of traffic congestion which is essentially correct. Anyone who has ever sat in traffic jams in Mokokchung would be familiar with the woes of being stuck in traffic. It will not be wrong to say that the recurring traffic congestion in Mokokchung that has become routine, since the last few years, is due to lack of capacity on the road. The roads are just too narrow to fit all the vehicles at a given time.
While it is agreed that the roads are too narrow and that there are too many vehicles on the road, which is increasing every year, it is also agreed that it is now high time to formulate real and proper strategies to ease the traffic congestion in Mokokchung town. The authorities have been giving their best effort to mitigate the problem of traffic congestion in Mokokchung but the traffic woes seem not to subside. The stretch of IM Road starting from “Cosmos Hall” area to the main Traffic Island and then onward to Imkongmeren Sports Complex is the most congested during rush hour. Other stretches of road in the town, like the stretch of Mariani Road at Salangtem New Market area and main junction at Sewak Gate area face similar congestion.
The most visible cause of traffic jams in Mokokchung is that there are more vehicles that the road can support. Unless the road is widened, which may not be possible at the moment, very little can be done here except maybe banning parking to smoothen traffic flow.Some of the other measures that can be initiated would include imposition of fines for double lane parking, strict orders to be enforced for obeying traffic rules, and exploring one-way routes. Building parking lots is a viable option but it entails huge financial investment. Idling vehicles on the road thereby obstructing or impeding traffic flow should be dealt with seriously. Police and Traffic personnel in Mokokchung are no doubt doing a fine job in performing their duty. Yes, much remains to be done but credit must be given where it is due.
The other consideration is the driver behavior. Every driver should be a conscious participant in the effort to reduce traffic woes. While obeying traffic rules ought to be the obligation of every driver, there are other strategies to reduce the likelihood of being stuck up in traffic jams. For instance, it is a good idea to take alternative routes to get from one end of the town to the other without passing through the main traffic point.