GUWAHATI, Aug 7 - With a view to preventing mishaps and ensuring hassle-free movement of traffic, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration today declared the new and old Saraighat bridges as �protected area� and also as �no parking zone� and �no selfie zone�.
Commuters will henceforth not be able to stop their vehicles on the new and old Saraighat bridges and they have also been prohibited from clicking selfie on the bridges. An order to this effect was issued by District Magistrate of Kamrup (Metro) Dr M Angamuthu.
He said violation of the order issued today would be punishable by fines of up to Rs 10,000. The order has come into force with immediate effect and will remain in place till modified or changed.
�It has been observed that large number of vehicles including buses, cars and bikes, plying on the old Saraighat bridge and the new Saraighat bridge are flouting all rules and regulations. Haphazard and unsystematic parking of vehicles is causing severe traffic congestion as well as inconvenience to general public,� he said.
Dr Angamuthu added, �There is also an increasing trend of accidents occurring in the process of taking selfies which have been widely reported in the media. There is a need to have a systematic approach for curtailing the number of accidents and mishaps.� He said that such things cannot be allowed to continue in a city like Guwahati, which is the gateway to the entire North East.
�Due to noncompliance with the basic rules, various accidents occur causing irreparable loss of lives and also create law and order situations,� said Dr Angamuthu, who is also Chairman of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Guwahati West) has been directed to ensure compliance with the order.
