Traffic restrictions for Puja

TT, Oct. 6: Vehicle movement would be regulated on most smaller roads across Siliguri during the Pujas for the first time, police officers said today.

C.S. Lepcha, the commissioner of Siliguri metropolitan police, said at a news conference today: "We have decided to regulate traffic on all routes that converge at Hill Cart Road, Sevoke Road, Burdwan Road and some others. The restrictions will be applicable to four-wheelers and two-wheelers. This is the first time that restrictions would be imposed on small roads during the four days of Durga Puja."

Sources said on October 7, there would be restrictions from 4pm to 2am. From October 8 to 14, traffic would be regulated from 4pm to 4am. During this time, goods carriage and buses will not be allowed in town.

Buses that ply from Siliguri to different places in the Northeast and Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar will depart from Naukaghat at the southern end of the town. Buses to CalcuttaandBihar will start from Paribahan Nagar in Matigara on the northwestern part of Siliguri.

"We can alter the time of restrictions considering the crowd," a police source said.

Lepcha said CCTV cameras had been installed at all strategic locations.

Bholanath Pandey, additional superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, who was also at the meet, said: "We have appealed to the residents to be on alert and inform us if they find anything suspicious."