Visitors jostle for space outside commercial buildings in city

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, February 3

In the absence of any check by the Municipal Town Planning Wing of the Municipal Corporation, commercial buildings on prominent roads and markets are not providing parking space to visitors. People visiting these commercial establishments are forced to park their vehicles on road. Instead of assuring space for visitors, the MC has been collecting parking fee from people parking vehicles on road.

A number of government offices, including passport office and the court complex, don’t have parking for visitors. Iconic Mall Road and Lawrence Road have been facing traffic congestions as parking space in the private commercial establishment is inadequate.

The Mall Road used to be a residential lane since the British era. In the past two decades, the Municipal Corporation started giving change of land use (CLU) to property owners. Now, major hospitals, banks, malls and shopping complexes are functional on the lane. The MC has no check as to which commercial establishment has parking space. Some of the commercial establishments have parking space in their basement, but they are using it as a storeroom or have rented for some commercial activity. Visitors have to park their vehicles on the Mall Road, leading to traffic jams on a routine.

Similarly, Lawrence Road witnesses traffic jam as prominent shopping malls, grocery stores and sweet shops either don’t have parking space or not open for public.

“The Municipal Town Planning Wing is in deep slumber and residents are facing traffic congestions and harassment due to non-availability of parking. The MC should check the parking space in hospitals and malls on major roads and take action in case they are not properly utilising the space shown in the building plan,” said advocate Kuljit Singh, a local activist.

Meanwhile, officials of the Municipal Town Planning Wing claimed that they have been regularly checking parking space in commercial buildings and take action on a regular basis.

Municipal Town Planner Meharban Singh said: “We regular check the parking space and take action against violators”.