Parking predicament: Kullu residents face fines amidst lack of infrastructure

A growing wave of discontent is sweeping through Kullu town as residents express outrage over what they term as a biased and insensitive challan drive by local police. The recent crackdown on idle roadside parking has sparked widespread resentment, primarily due to the glaring lack of adequate parking infrastructure in the area.

Locals argue that enforcement appears arbitrary and selective. While ordinary citizens are heavily fined for parking along public roads, certain groups appear to enjoy exemption. Vehicles parked along the hospital road near the district court complex — often belonging to lawyers — are reportedly ignored, while those parked just a few metres beyond the DC office are regularly penalised, despite being aligned in the same manner.

Atul, an attendant near the Regional Hospital, highlighted the absence of designated parking spaces in the vicinity. “Patients and their attendants have no option but to park along the roadside. It’s a one-way street and doesn’t hinder traffic, yet challans are issued indiscriminately,” he said.

Aman, a local resident, shared his frustration over receiving a challan of Rs 1,500 for briefly stopping to purchase medicines. “There’s no traffic congestion here, no heavy vehicles. Yet people are being penalised for circumstances they cannot control,” he said.

Adding to the confusion is a pending proposal to convert the hospital lane into a paid parking zone. However, bureaucratic delays have stalled its implementation, leaving citizens in a bind— caught between a lack of alternatives and mounting fines.

Members of the press have also expressed discontent. Journalists have repeatedly petitioned for designated parking near the Press Bhawan, similar to the facilities available at the Press Room at Dhalpur Taxi Stand. A senior correspondent revealed he had received 16 challans, mostly for idle parking near the hospital and his office in Shastri Nagar — both areas without formal parking facilities.

Compounding public frustration is the issue of exorbitant charges at existing Municipal Corporation (MC) parking lots, which allegedly operate without displaying any approved rate list, adding a layer of opaqueness to the system.

Ashok, another local resident, summed up the public sentiment: “The police should focus on vehicles that actually obstruct traffic. Blanket challans on already stressed citizens are unfair and lack empathy.”