GANGTOK, Aug 22: There seems to be no end to traffic woes here. The town faces acute traffic snarls at almost all the turns. The root cause is the narrow width of the roads and increasing number of vehicles. “Students are finding it difficult to reach schools in time following traffic snarls in the town. The office-goers, patients and tourists also face difficulties,” said Mr Tshering Lepcha, a local. Mrs Doma Tenzing who live far away from Gangtok, said: “We come to the town every weekend for shopping and face acute traffic snarls. There is no traffic rule here. Owing to lack of proper parking place, people park their vehicles almost everywhere at will.”Members of the grievance cell of Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee today held a meeting here to discuss the issue.“The town’s traffic mess is yet another example of the state government’s directionless functioning. The government is taking no measure to improve traffic system here,” said Mr SK Bardeva, a Congress leader. “It is difficult to accommodate additional vehicles at the Gangtok Motor Stand at Old Children Park,” Mr Bardeva, added.He said that the Congress has urged the state government to make better use of the existing facilities and end traffic problems in the town. “The government should also take initiative to widen the roads here,” Mr Sardeva, said. Commenting on the traffic snarls here, a Gangtok-based doctor, said: “Even the ambulances carrying patients find it difficult to ply on roads here a during emergency hours following traffic jam.”
