Allow parking behind yellow lines in Shimla: High Court

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, November 13

With a view to allowing the public to park vehicles on the roads of the town behind yellow lines, the High Court today constituted a four-member committee headed by the Superintending Engineer (PWD).

The other members of the committee are the Executive Engineer, (Bridge & Roads), Municipal Corporation, Shimla, DSP (Traffic), SDM (Urban), Shimla.

The court has directed the committee to file its report within two weeks.Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan further directed the corporation to carry out the process of drawing yellow lines in the leftout areas of the town and take further action qua auction/leasing/tendering of the same.

During the course of hearing, it was brought to the notice of the court that the MC had carved out certain parking areas on the road leading from Khalini Chowk to Bishop Cotton School by marking yellow lines on it, but now these had been erased and the police were not allowing the public to park their vehicles.

Taking a serious note, the court observed, “This indeed is a serious matter. After all, yellow lines were marked in compliance to the order of the court. No person or authority has any business to remove or erase these lines, unless, of course, these lines are creating hindrance in the free flow of the traffic.”

The court directed the DGP to ensure that no hindrance is created in the parking of the vehicles behind yellow lines on the road, leading from Khalini Chowk to Bishop Cotton School and also directed the MC to re-draw the yellow lines.

The court also directed the Director (Industries) to file a personal affidavit regarding the status of the land identified for the purpose of Transport Nagar at Shoghi.

The court passed the order on a contempt petition filed by Deepak Gupta, alleging therein that despite court orders, the local authorities are not complying with the directions of this court.