Port Blair, Jan 19: The District Road Safety Committee, South Andaman has convened a meeting under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman wherein the Transport Department and Traffic Police proposed to improve the traffic congestion at Chatham Jetty Area.

The Chatham Jetty area has been witnessing heavy vehicular congestion especially during the arrival and departure of boats, due to the unorganized movement of vehicles, heavy congestion is created in the area making unsafe for the movement of pedestrians.  As such it has been decided to implement a traffic movement plan initially for period of 30 days on a pilot basis which is as follows:-

1. Space near the canteen has been earmarked for parking of two wheelers in two rows.
2. Maximum of five stage carriage buses will be allowed to stop and alight passengers at the earmarked area by the side of ticket counter.
3. After the area identified for buses, area has been earmarked for parking of 10 autorickshaw and five taxi/ CC permit vehicles on the left side of the road towards jetty.
4. Personal vehicles (Two wheelers and cars) are permitted to park at the area after the area earmarked for autorickshaw on the left side of the road.
5. Vehicles awaiting the boarding of vehicle ferry will wait in two rows as per the existing practice but the queue will break at the ticket counter and restart after the area earmarked for buses.
6. No bus or auto/ taxi will be allowed to go beyond their parking space towards jetty. However vehicles intending to board the vehicle ferry will be allowed to go up to the ferry.
7. Personal Vehicles going to jetty for dropping the persons shall immediately leave the jetty area after dropping the persons.
8. Entire stretch on the right side of the road towards jetty from Fire station gate will be “No parking and no stopping” for vehicles. This side will be exclusively used for pedestrian movement.
9. Personal vehicle users are discouraged from parking their vehicles on the roadside.
10. The vehicles intending to go inside the cargo jetty are allowed to use the road but should not stop on this stretch.

This plan is being implemented on a pilot basis to ensure a safer traffic movement and hassle free pedestrian movement.