Gurugram: The areas surrounding major coaching institutes in Gurugram have become increasingly congested and chaotic due to rampant parking issues. Hundreds of students flock to these institutes every day, but the narrow lanes and lack of organised parking have resulted in severe accessibility problems. Vehicles parked indiscriminately encroach upon the roads, leaving little or no space for entering or exiting the narrow lanes. The situation poses a significant risk as emergency vehicles, including fire trucks, cannot navigate these congested areas in case of an emergency.
Locals and students alike have been expressing their annoyance at the lack of action from the police and civic agencies, who they blame for the chaotic situation. Despite numerous complaints, there has been no enforcement to control the indiscriminate parking mess.
“We are dealing with a nightmare every day. It’s nearly impossible to move through these lanes, especially during peak hours when students are coming and going. If there’s an emergency, there’s no way a fire engine or ambulance can get through,” said Ravi Mehta, a resident living near Sector 14. “The authorities are fully aware of the problem, but they have done nothing to resolve it.”
The absence of a systematic parking management plan has resulted in vehicles being parked on both sides of the lanes, significantly reducing the space available for traffic flow. In many cases, students and residents have resorted to using pavements and even parts of their driveways to accommodate their vehicles.
“It’s not just an inconvenience, it is a safety hazard. What if there’s a fire or someone needs urgent medical help? The authorities need to take immediate action before a tragedy strikes,” said Priya Sharma, a resident.
{{/usCountry}}“It’s not just an inconvenience, it is a safety hazard. What if there’s a fire or someone needs urgent medical help? The authorities need to take immediate action before a tragedy strikes,” said Priya Sharma, a resident.
{{/usCountry}}Local businesses are also suffering due to the parking chaos, with customers finding it difficult to access shops and services because of the blocked roads. “Our customers often complain about the lack of parking space and the difficulty of navigating these narrow lanes. It hampers our business, and despite our appeals to the authorities, nothing has changed,” said Deepak Kumar, a shop owner in the area.
The negligence of the police and municipal administration in addressing the parking crisis has drawn sharp criticism from all quarters. There have been no effective measures, such as designated parking zones, stricter enforcement of parking regulations, or the introduction of residential parking permits to control the situation.
Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav admitted, “We are aware of the parking issues in the coaching institute areas and are working on a plan to address them. However, it requires coordination between various departments and the cooperation of the residents,” he said.
Yadav said they are preparing a blueprint to address the issues occurring due to negligence of coaching centres. “Our teams are already working on it and will identify the prime areas to resolve the chaos at the earliest,” he said.
Residents, however, remain sceptical, having heard similar promises in the past with no tangible results. “We need immediate action, not just promises. The police and the administration must take responsibility and implement a robust parking management system to resolve this chronic issue,” said Anjali Gupta, a local resident.
The ongoing parking mess in areas around coaching centres highlight the urgent need for effective urban planning and strict enforcement of parking regulations. Until the police and the administration take decisive action, residents and students will continue to face daily challenges and be exposed to risks.