No parking slots in Smart City Dharamsala, locals hassled

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, September 29

Lack of proper parking places is fast becoming bane of Dharamsala and its surrounding tourist places. Traffic jams are becoming common in the city even during lean tourist season.

Motorists are forced to park their vehicles on roadsides bringing them in direct confrontation with traffic policemen who insist on fining them through challans. On their part, people claim that there is no parking space available anywhere.

The problem of traffic has worsened to such an extent that there is vehicular congestion even on routine days in Dharamsala. Linear development in the town along the roads is major cause of traffic problem.

In Dharamsala town there are two major markets — Kachehri market near local secretariat and Kotwali market. Both the markets have limited public parking place. People have to park their vehicles along the roads leading to traffic congestion and sometimes accidents. In Kotwali market the local municipal council is trying to bring up a public parking place, but the work is very slow.

In Kachehri or the civil lines area there is no public parking place. Most of the vehicles are parked on roadsides or in mini secretariat parking that remains full with vehicles of the locals coming to the offices for their work.

At McLeodganj, the main tourist hub, the only public parking place at the entrance is embroiled in controversy for overcharging. A few years ago, foundation stone of a parking place near Dalai Lama temple was laid. However, the work is going on at a tardy pace. The result is that most of the commercial vehicles bringing tourists here are parked on the roadside.

At Bhagsunag, another famous tourist place of the area, there is just one parking places that is inadequate during the tourist inflow season. In Bhagsunag and McLeodganj illegal constructions are main reason for traffic congestion. As per the rules laid by the district and town planning authorities any commercial building coming in the area should have a specified parking place at the ground level. However, the people bringing up hotels and shopping complexes in the area are disregarding the norms and are not developing any parking space.

The result is that all the pressure of vehicles coming in comes on limited public parking places and roadsides.

The district and town planning and municipal council authorities have failed to take action against the illegal building or force those constructing new buildings to have parking places as per rules. Many new shopping malls are coming up in Dharamsala area for which the parking place should be made mandatory in the basement or else the traffic situation in the town is going to worsen.

The government has been announcing various new projects. However, the problem of parking in Dharamsala continues to grow and parking lots are not being built on a priority.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Nipun Jindal said the Dharamsala MC had been asked to expedite work on the going parking projects in the city.

Works progressing at tardy pace

• There are two major markets in the town — Kachehri market and Kotwali market. Both markets have limited parking place. People have to park their vehicles along the roads.
• In Kotwali market, the Municipal Council is trying to bring up a public parking place, but the work is very slow.
• At McLeodganj, the main tourist hub, the only public parking place at the entrance is embroiled in controversy for overcharging from tourists and locals.
• A few years ago, foundation stone of a parking place near Dalai Lama temple was laid. However, the work is going on at a tardy pace.

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