Jamshedpur: The East Singhbhum administration has formed a committee to identify additional parking spaces near major Durga Puja pandals and ease traffic congestion during the festival.Deputy commissioner Rajiv Ranjan constituted the panel on Saturday after inspecting several pandals with SSP Ehtesham Waquarib on Friday. The officials found that additional parking arrangements would be needed to manage the expected crowds.The committee will inspect around 12 prominent puja venues and consult committee members, residents and officials of govt and private organisations. It will explore the temporary use of vacant private plots, govt premises, police station compounds and other available land near the pandals as parking zones.The panel comprises district transport officer Maheswari Prasad, Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) deputy municipal commissioner Krishna Kumar, DSP (traffic) Sriniraj Kumar and a town management official from Tata Steel Utility and Infrastructure Services Ltd. It has been asked to submit its report by Monday evening.The venues include CH Area, Central West, Hind Club, Baridih Bazaar, Burmamines, Kashidih, Tuiladungri, Agrico and Sidgora Cinema Maidan.The move comes amid wider traffic concerns. Police and civic agencies have planned an anti-encroachment drive on roads leading to pandals in Sonari, Telco, Kadma, Birsanagar and Sakchi. Officials have also been asked to curb illegal parking on the Pardih-Baliguma stretch of NH-33.Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Manav Kedia said a delegation submitted a memorandum to Kumar on Saturday, seeking measures to ensure smooth traffic movement near commercial areas during the festive season.
