New city parking plan a success

Rafik Jalaldeen

COLOMBO: The Colombo Traffic Police says the new parking arrangement introduced within the Colombo City limits was proceeding smoothly.

The new parking system for vehicles entering Colombo Fort, Union Place, Slave Island and Chatham Street areas came into effect on Monday.

According to SSP Police Motor Traffic Department Y.G.R.M.Lafir the parking arrangement was 100 per cent successful with motorists cooperating with the police.

Questioned on the problem related to parking of heavy vehicles, SSP Lafir said:

"There is no necessity to have a special parking area for heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicles can enter the city after security clearance and thereafter they have to use certain routes.

However heavy vehicles transporting goods to hotels etc. will be permitted to park in the hotel premises after entering the city with security clearance. In addition heavy vehicles can also park at designated parking areas."

He said the Colombo Traffic Police is capable of handling any emergency and have successfully done it.

He said in emergencies like the suicide attempt on the Army Commander, the Traffic Police stood up to the task with professional efficiency."The team managed to take the injured to hospital soon after the incident, as well as cleared the roads quickly, he added.

The SSP observed that Sri Lanka being a developing country had to cope with the lack of facilities to overcome certain emergency situations. "We have only a few roads and in certain emergency situations we cannot evacuate all vehicles and the public at once.

First we have to clear the route to take the injured to the nearest hospital before evacuating the vehicles and pedestrians", SSP Lafir said. The Colombo Traffic Police has also made other plans to reduce the volume of traffic in the Colombo city, SSP Lafir pointed out. "We are planning a separate system for school buses and are also planning to instal close circuit cameras on main highways," he said.