Nagpur: Commissioner of Police Ravinder Singal on Friday strongly defended the controversial decision to bar private luxury buses from offering parking, pick-up, and drop facilities on roads within the Inner Ring Road between 8 am and 10 pm, calling it a “necessary corrective” to address mounting traffic congestion in the city.
Speaking at a press briefing, Singal said the traffic police have already approached agencies including the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), Nagpur Metro Region Development Authority (NMRDA), and Metro Rail authorities to develop modern transport hubs on the city’s periphery, modelled on Nashik’s system. These hubs, he explained, would be located 5–10 km outside Nagpur, with city bus services providing seamless connectivity to various neighbourhoods.
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“Until these hubs come up, police are working to identify temporary pick-up and drop-off points just beyond the Inner Ring Road to reduce inconvenience for passengers,” Singal assured.
The move, however, has sparked strong resistance from both bus operators and commuters. Operators argue the city lacks the necessary satellite bus depots, making last-mile connectivity from the outskirts expensive and unreliable. Many passengers fear that auto-rickshaw and cab drivers will refuse long-distance rides into the city, adding to their woes.
When asked about such criticism, Singal pointed out that long-distance buses are among the biggest contributors to traffic snarls in core areas. “Apart from their size, many drivers routinely jump signals, halt at undesignated points, and park carelessly, creating bottlenecks at our busiest junctions,” he said.
“If the road ahead is clear, vehicles should move quickly. But buses stopping randomly choke crucial squares and intersections,” he noted.
Traffic DCP Lohit Matani clarified that the new notification, effective from August 20, strictly prohibits private buses from parking or halting for passenger pick-up or drop inside the Inner Ring Road. Only operators with their own parking spaces on private land will be exempt. Any bus found violating the rule will be seized, with further legal action to follow.
Singal added that talks were ongoing with Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari to allow NMC bus depots outside city limits to be used as halting points for private operators. When pressed on why areas like Variety Square, Munje Square, and Rani Jhansi Square continue to face heavy congestion despite not being bus stoppages, the CP admitted challenges but maintained that wider measures were being rolled out to streamline traffic.
Broader congestion-control plan
The Commissioner unveiled a multi-pronged strategy to address citywide traffic woes. Key measures include:
• Citywide parking survey: Identifying designated parking and no-parking zones for two-wheelers, four-wheelers, autos, and e-rickshaws.
• Strict action on commercial establishments: Hospitals, malls, and other entities not using their allotted parking spaces will face notices and penalties.
• Clearing encroachments: Footpaths illegally occupied by hawkers and shop extensions will be cleared in coordination with civic authorities.
• Pending challans: Over 6 lakh e-challans remain unpaid in the first five months of this year. Defaulters get 15 days to pay; beyond that, cases are sent to Lok Adalats. Proposals are with the Centre to restrict government services such as passport issuance for habitual violators.
• Pedestrian safety: Stop lines and zebra crossings are being repainted regularly, with stricter enforcement planned at accident-prone zones like Kapil Nagar Ring Road.
• Noise pollution: Action against excessive honking and modified motorcycle silencers will continue, with Singal reiterating his vision of making Nagpur a “no-honking city.” “I haven’t used a horn in two decades,” he said.
“Short-term pain, long-term gain”
Admitting the curbs will cause inconvenience, Singal urged citizens to view the move as an investment in the city’s future. “For a growing city like Nagpur, these steps are unavoidable. It is short-term pain for long-term gain. Without such measures, congestion will only worsen,” he said.
Joint CP Navinchandra Reddy and Traffic DCP Lohit Matani were also present at the briefing.
