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Ludhiana: Shopkeepers raise issue of reduced parking space due to Smart City projects
Shopkeepers from Malhar Road and main Sarabha Nagar market in Ludhiana on Wednesday raised the issue of reduced parking space in these areas with chief executive officer (CEO) of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) Isha Kalia due to ongoing works under the Smart City Mission
Shopkeepers from Malhar Road and main Sarabha Nagar market on Wednesday raised the issue of reduced parking space in these areas due to ongoing works under the Smart City Mission.
During a visit by chief executive officer (CEO) of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) Isha Kalia to the markets, shopkeepers stated that the reduced the parking space is affecting their business and demanded that authorities make a structural change to the design of these projects.
The work is currently underway to develop Malhar road into a “smart road” and renovate the main Sarabha Nagar market.
MLA (Ludhiana West) Gurpreet Gogi, MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal and other civic body officials were accompanying Kalia, who was in the city to review the status of different projects including rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah.
The shopkeepers rued that even after three months, the authorities have failed to complete the projects despite missing deadlines and increasing the budget from ₹38 crore to ₹50 crore. They alleged that they were ignored during the planning of the projects.
President of Malhar Road Shopkeepers Welfare Association, Paramjit Singh, said that while it was a good initiative to transform the road into a smart road, but the authorities ended up reducing the width of the road from around 50 feet to 20 feet on both the sides by establishing walking areas, cycle tracks etc. “This has led to reduced parking space in the market and business is also getting affected at large. Even slip roads have not been constructed at one of the busiest roads of the city, which is resulting in traffic chaos. We have demanded that changes be made in the design to widen the road portion and increase parking space,” he said.
In the past, Gogi had conducted meetings with the shopkeepers and assured that steps will be taken to widen Malhar Road and increase parking space at the market.
Similarly, shopkeepers at main Sarabha Nagar market also raised a hue and cry over the reduced parking space in the area due to increase of the walking area and park. They stated that the department had made plans to establish underground or stilt parking, but nothing was done.
Harjinder Kukreja Kippsy and other SCO owners of the market said that visitors struggle to find a parking space in the evening and this is also affecting their business.
Kalia directed officials to look into the demands of the shopkeepers and see if any changes can be made in the design of the projects.
During Kalia’s visit, the matter of illegal constructions at Sarabha Nagar main market was also highlighted. She directed the MC commissioner to look into the complaints.
Kalia also inspected the Pakhowal Road RUB/ROB project and Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) established by MC.
