Dug-up roads not an excuse to park illegally: Mumbai sessions court

A dug-up road is not an excuse for people to park their vehicles on roads, observed a sessions court while granting anticipatory bail to an advocate booked for obstructing traffic police from doing their duty

A dug-up road is not an excuse for people to park their vehicles on roads, observed a sessions court while granting anticipatory bail to an advocate booked for obstructing traffic police from doing their duty.

The court was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by advocate Saurabh Nagarsheth, who was booked for manhandling and obstructing traffic police officers. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The court was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by advocate Saurabh Nagarsheth, who was booked for manhandling and obstructing traffic police officers.

Traffic police had conducted a drive against illegal parking on roads at Marine Drive on February 4. During the drive, when they reached Panchsir Building on F Road, they took action against 15 vehicles parked illegally.

While the cops were trying to tow away his vehicle, Nagarseth confronted the policemen and allegedly manhandled a police officer. A case was later registered against him at the Marine Drive police station.

Nagarseth, in his defence, argued that the entire adjacent road to his building was dug up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and residents were forced to park their vehicles on the road.

Nagarseth also claimed that at the time of the incident, he was trying to help one of his neighbours to unclamp his vehicle as the former had a medical emergency. He claimed that it was during that time that he got into a heated argument with the officers.

Considering his defence, the court granted him anticipatory bail but observed: “The traffic condition in Mumbai city is precarious and day-to-day an increasing number of motor vehicles are coming on the road. In addition, when work of digging – for electric line, water line, drainage line, etc – the traffic woes are worsened. But that does not mean that residents or the public, in general, should park their vehicles in no-parking zones and/or disobey the traffic rules. Every citizen must obey the rules and cooperate with the authorities to smoothen the functioning of the city.”