Raj Thackeray questions e-challan enforcement, warns traffic congestion could worsen in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday questioned the manner in which electronic traffic challans are being imposed arguing that the focus should be on examining enforcement practices and addressing the broader problems affecting traffic managementAddressing a gathering of transport workers in Vashi Navi Mumbai on October 26 Thackeray said he did not oppose the echallan system but maintained that the way penalties are imposed needed scrutiny He also warned that traffic congestion across the state could worsen significantly in the coming years if authorities failed to address gaps in urban planning and transport managementIn a post on X following the gathering Thackeray linked the growing traffic problem to the increasing number of vehicles on the roads the lack of adequate planning and the pressure placed on the police to manage the situationRaj Thackeray questions traffic planningThe MNS chief said he had repeatedly raised concerns about traffic congestion in his speeches and believed the situation could become more difficult to manage in the futureAfter seeing the traffic in this country I can envision the present and future of this nation he said underlining the importance of transport infrastructure and traffic management in determining how cities functionHe criticised the approach of building flyovers and bridges without adequately considering how traffic would move through the surrounding areas According to him infrastructure projects alone would not resolve congestion unless they were supported by effective traffic management plansEchallans and traffic police under scrutinyWhile addressing the issue of echallans Thackeray said his objection was not to the system itself but to the manner in which it was implemented He called for an examination of how penalties were imposed suggesting that enforcement practices should be assessed alongside the wider challenges faced by road usersHe also said he had instructed his drivers not to violate traffic signals regardless of the urgency of a journeyEven with police protection I have given strict instructions to all my drivers no matter how much of a hurry there is do not break signals he saidThackeray argued that the responsibility for managing traffic should not fall disproportionately on the police when broader issues including vehicle registrations population growth and inadequate planning remained unresolvedEvery day no one knows how many new vehicles are being registered how many vehicles are hitting the roads or where and how many people are coming to live And in the end the burden of all this falls on our police he saidWarns of pressure on roads if local trains failThackeray also raised concerns about Mumbais dependence on its suburban railway network asking how the citys roads would cope if local train services were to collapse and commuters were forced to travel in private vehiclesIf tomorrow Mumbais local trains collapse and everyone takes to the roads in their own vehicles what will happen he askedHe also questioned the emphasis on economic growth figures when basic urban management challenges remained unresolvedThere is no planning for anything and we just keep saying our GDP has reached 78 per cent Whats the use of that he saidMNS chief says political will is key to improving disciplineThackeray concluded by saying that improving traffic discipline and addressing administrative shortcomings did not require complicated solutions but rather the determination to implement necessary changesTruth be told Im waiting to see when this Maharashtra will hand over power to me Bringing discipline to all these things doesnt require rocket sciencemdashit just takes willpower he said