Shimla ward watch - Kasumpti: Parking space crunch in market, frequent traffic snarls, water shortage irk residents

Shimla, May 21

The lack of parking facilities and the single congested road that leads to Kasumpti market have become the bane of local residents. Locals and visitors who visit the market park their vehicles on the roadside, causing frequent traffic jams.

There are several important government offices in Kasumpti, and people are forced to sit through long traffic jams. Not only this, pedestrians also have a tough time while crossing the road as the fear of getting hit by a vehicle looms large.

Vikrant, a resident of Kasumpti, said, “People often arrive late at their destinations due to traffic jams. As there is no space, they park their vehicles on the roadside, which makes the stretch more congested. Things have gone from bad to worse as the number of vehicles here has doubled over the past few years.”

Apart from this, residents also complained about irregular water supply in the summer season. Residents said water was supplied in the ward after a gap of two to three days due to which people were facing problems.

Jagdish, another resident of the ward, said the shortage of potable water was common in the ward and the entire capital during summer season. The municipal corporation should come up with a full-proof plan so that people do not suffer due to water shortage, he said.

Ward councillor Rachna Sharma told The Tribune, “The main issue here is that there is no space available to construct new parking facilities in the ward.”

She said, “I will take up the issue of water shortage in the upcoming monthly General House meeting of the municipal corporation.” She said at present, the construction of new public toilets in the market, installation of new streetlights and re-carpeting of roads was going on in her ward.