Moscow's notorious traffic jams are a sign of the capital's vitality and will not go away, a city hall official said on Thursday.
"I am sure that - fortunately or unfortunately - traffic jams in Moscow will not disappear because they are a result of Moscow's activity," said Vasily Kichedzhi, head of the transportation and communication department.
He also said Moscow is an investor friendly city and therefore attracts many foreigners and people from other parts of Russia.
The official acknowledged that traffic congestion was a problem, but said a lack of funding hinders efforts to cut down on the jams that are an everyday fact of life in the Russian capital.
He stressed, however, that motorists themselves could contribute to alleviating the congestion if they used public transportation more often.
The city official also said traffic accidents and the amount of time taken by police to deal with them also contributed to jams.
"Two thousand accidents a day is very much, and this creates jams," Kichedzhi.
Under Russian law, for insurance purposes, motorists are not allowed to move their vehicles after an accident until the police arrive unless one of the two sides admits his or her guilt.
MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti)
