Rearrangement of dividers at the Balkhu-Thankot intersection has largely contributed to reduction of traffic congestion at Kalanki Chowk. “The road from Thankot to Kalanki was narrow. We have removed the dividers and made three-lane space for vehicles,” said Inspector Prazit KC. [break]
The Thankot- Kalanki stretch of the road remains the busiest from 4 am to 7:30 am when long-route vehicles enter the Valley and between 10 am to 11 am.
“Though the two-lane road at Kalanki Chowk can handle vehicular movement during these two peak hours, there must be three-lanes to handle heavy pressure of vehicles leaving for Thankot in the evening,” argued KC.
The main intersection leading to Thankot at Kalanki Chowk is a six-lane road but only five lanes are currently in use.
Additionally, moving the Makalu Bus Park away from Kalanki Chowk and not allowing blue micro buses to park at Swayambhu Chowk has also contributed to reducing traffic congestion.
According to KC, the Kalanki traffic police have also directed all those who own shops in the Kalanki Chowk area not to park their vehicles and motorcycles on the road.
Kalanki locals are also happy about the reduced traffic congestion. “We have seen visible impact. This could be because of the strict enforcement of traffic rules and widening of the road at Kalanki Chowk,” said Hari Maharjan, 36, who owns a shop at Kalanki Chowk.
KC said that they have been strictly punishing traffic rules violators. The traffic police have so far fined 5,220 people between mid-December to mid-January for violating traffic rules and collected revenue of Rs 379,000. “This is the highest revenue collected by any 28 traffic police sector in the valley,” said DIG Ganesh Raj Rai, Chief of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. The Kalanki traffic police collected Rs 189,100 in the previous month alone.
According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshahpath, Chabahil and Laincha are the places where the traffic remains highly congested these days.
Currently, altogether 34 traffic personnel are deployed at Kalanki Chowk, where 27 traffic personnel work during normal hours and additional seven during peak hours of traffic congestion.
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