Agartala, September 25: The Traffic Police has stepped up preparations to handle the expected rise in vehicle and pedestrian movement in Agartala during Durga Puja, with special focus on congestion-prone stretches, parking violations and tighter regulation of Puja passes.
Traffic SP Kanta Jangir announced the measures at a press conference at Traffic Bhavan in the AD Nagar police line on Friday, outlining the arrangements planned for the festive period.
She said traffic personnel would closely monitor major trouble spots, including Nagerjala Bridge, City Centre and Orient Chowmuhani, where vehicle movement is expected to increase significantly during the Puja days. Traffic arrangements at these locations would be modified according to the flow of vehicles and prevailing conditions.
The department will also intensify action against unauthorised parking in busy market areas, violations of one-way and no-entry rules and prolonged roadside parking by heavy vehicles.
As part of the preparations, Traffic Police officials have held discussions with traders, market committees and residents of Maharajganj Bazar to identify factors contributing to congestion and work out possible solutions.
Jangir stressed that enforcement alone would not be sufficient to maintain orderly traffic during the festival and called for cooperation from motorists, traders, transport organisations and other stakeholders. She urged motorists to follow traffic regulations and use only designated parking areas.
Traffic personnel and surveillance arrangements will also be strengthened at important locations throughout the Puja period, she said.
The Traffic Police has meanwhile tightened the procedure for issuing Puja passes following allegations of their misuse in previous years. Jangir said applicants with pending traffic challans would not be issued Puja passes, citing directions from Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha.
The department is also consulting the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT) on a digital mechanism for issuing Puja passes, with the aim of making the process more streamlined and reducing complications.
On the settlement of traffic challans, Jangir said those issued before April 2026 could be cleared through the e-Challan portal, Virtual Court portal or the physical court.
Challans issued after April 2026, however, would have to be paid through the Traffic Unit and would not be sent to court, she said.
She added that preparations were also underway to introduce the Next-Gen Challan system.
During Durga Puja, no-entry restrictions will remain in force in Agartala from 5 pm to 1 am on the Puja days, Jangir said.
She appealed to residents and other stakeholders to cooperate with the Traffic Police and follow the temporary restrictions to help ensure safe and uninterrupted movement across the city during the festival.
