Mangaluru: A plan to ban processions of any kind along Ambedkar Circle to the DC office said T R Suresh, City Police Commissioner speaking at the press meet at the press club on February 1st.

The increasing density of vehicles on the city roads and the inability to widen many of the roads was leading to traffic congestion. Around 1 lakh new vehicles are entering the roads of Mangalore every year. Given this scenario processions are posing a hindrance in vehicular traffic, observed the commissioner.

There were plans to allocate one portion of the Nehru Maidan for parking of vehicle whenever a public meet, function or any other programme is held there, he added.

Mr Suresh spoke on issue of haphazard parking and the use of drugs and said that steps will be taken to create awareness on the problems posed due to parking of vehicles outside wedding halls or houses during functions. All efforts are underway to sensitize students on the ill-effects of drugs, he said.

The phone-in programme initiated by the erstwhile Commissioner Chandrashekhar has proved very fruitful, he noted.

The roads from Hampankatta to Clock Tower and from Attavar KMC to Milagres Road have been declared as horn-free zone. A notification in this regard will soon be implemented. Awareness programmes too will be held, said the police commissioner.