Ban on roadside parking eases congestion in Srinagar

Shoppers demand more free parking zones near commercial centres

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Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 27

The decision to not allow roadside parking of vehicles in Srinagar city, particularly along five road stretches, has eased traffic congestion.

Though the move is being hailed by citizens, they are also demanding that the authorities pay attention towards creating more parking spaces in the city, particularly in and around commercial centres.

Observing that roadside parking of vehicles was one of the main reasons for traffic jams in Srinagar city and other areas, the High Court, in its directions on December 18, had sought a report from the government authorities on roadside parking by or before December 30. It also directed it to come up with a policy banning parking of vehicles on roads and highways.

In Srinagar, which witnesses frequent traffic jams on almost a daily basis, the traffic authorities have identified five road stretches as no parking zones, particularly in and around the city centre Lal Chowk as the High Court observed that the roadside parking of vehicles was one of the main reasons for traffic jams in Srinagar and other areas.

As per the new plan, roadside parking has been prohibited along the stretches of Lal Chowk to Dalgate on both sides of Moulana Azad Road, Lal Chowk to the Jahangir Chowk area, Jahangir Chowk to the Naaz Cinema crossing along the newly constructed expressway flyover, Secretariat to Batamaloo and Jahangir Chowk to Karan Nagar.

As the no-parking plan has come into effect, daily commuters on these roads have heaved a sigh of relief saying the traffic congestions in these areas had reduced considerably. “I have my office in the Polo View area. Earlier, it was time consuming for me to reach to my office in car due to traffic jams and congestion. But since the new plan has come into effect, the commute on the city roads is easy,” Sajad Ahmad, a resident, said.

However, shoppers to the city centre are demanding that the authorities should also pay attention towards creation of more parking spaces. “The government needs to provide alternatives to people as they visit the city for shopping and other purposes. The authorities should create or designate more free parking spaces in the city,” Bilal Ahmad, a visitor to the Lal Chowk, said.

On the other hand, city shopkeepers are not happy with the decision. The traders are demanding an amendment to the plan which has been notified by the city traffic authorities even as the High Court has directed the government authorities to come up with a policy banning roadside parking on city roads and highways. In this regard, a delegation of city traders also met the SP, Traffic (City) demanding exclusive parking slots for customers.