Baner residents write to PMO against 5-km no parking road

PUNE Residents of Baner, who are protesting against the five-kilometre stretch of Baner road which was declared as a no parking zone, have written a letter to the

PUNE Residents of Baner, who are protesting against the five-kilometre stretch of Baner road which was declared as a no parking zone, have written a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday.

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In October 2019, after a survey by the traffic police, the five -km stretch of Baner road was declared as a no parking zone. The step was taken by deputy commissioner of police (traffic) to ease the traffic congestion in the area. Residents have come together and begun a petition calling the decision an injustice to the residents and has already crossed 1,400 signatures.

KN Peethambaram, a resident of Baner, said, “Before taking such a drastic decision, the residents were not kept in the loop or neither alternative arrangement for parking has been made by the administration. This sudden decision is causing inconvenience to the residents.”

The Baner road has a number of clinics, diagnostic centres, daily needs provision stores and various other important small business establishments. The residents are now facing a dilemma of where to park their vehicles when it comes to visits to clinics and diagnostic centres.

When the residents raised this issue with the traffic department, the response received through the traffic department official Twitter handle was that “The parking spaces sanctioned as per norms which are meant for customers are misused by the establishments on Baner road. The establishments should vacate these spaces for their customers to park vehicles”.

Leena Dharne, a resident of Baner, said, “Whenever some rules are made or changed by any authorities, the purpose must be to make residents lives easier. In this case, it is causing inconvenience .”