Where to go if there’s no parking space?

THE PROBLEM Many market areas don’t have ample parking space, which forces visitors to keep their vehicles on the roadside. Worse still, many are fined for this

THE PROBLEM Many market areas don’t have ample parking space, which forces visitors to keep their vehicles on the roadside. Worse still, many are fined for this

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Lucknow How fair is it to impose penalty on people for parking their vehicles at places that offer little or no parking space?

During the last four months, 52 people have been penalised for wrong parking in areas like Indira Nagar, Badshah Nagar, Nishatganj, Charbagh, Nakkhas, Moulviganj, Rajajipuram, Krishna Nagar.

These markets don’t have parking space, but the traffic police are imposing fine on people for unauthorized parking on the roads.

However, the traffic police and municipal authorities are doing a great job by penalising those jumping the red light, engaging in triple riding, driving without helmet/seat belt.

“How can authorities penalise anyone for parking vehicles at a place where LMC has not provided any parking lot. The authorities have failed to stop encroachments, but they have gained expertise in harassing the common man,” said Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’, leader of opposition in LMC House.

As many as 20,841 challans have been issued since July 22, when electronic CCTV challans along with photo challans started.

Of these, 2,809 challans were for jumping the red light, 17,185 for no helmet, 73 for wrong-way driving, 87 for triple riding while 52 people were challaned for parking vehicle at the wrong place or in no parking area.

As per official figures, 302 people were booked for no helmet and triple riding at the same time, 264 for no helmet and violating red light, 13 were penalised for wrong-way driving and without helmet, one person was booked for triple riding and jumping the red line, while two persons were booked for jumping the red light, not wearing helmet and triple riding.

In all, penalty of over Rs 1.02 crore was slapped on traffic violators. Of this, only Rs 10 lakh had been recovered.

However, LMC corporators said parking space should be provided at all main markets and encroachments removed from the roads before booking the common man for wrong parking.

Senior Congress leader and corporator from Sardar Patel ward Girish Mishra said, “Parking of vehicles is a big problem. People are struggling for parking space in areas like Alambagh, Aminabad, Naka Hindola, Chowk and Hazratganj. One will have to consider the concept of free parking for first one hour, like in the West. We cannot expect a person to pay Rs 40 for parking for withdrawing money from an ATM or picking up clothes from the laundry.”

The Hazratganj parking has space for 300 cars and 180 two-wheelers while Sarojini Naidu parking lot has capacity of 220 four-wheelers and 150 two-wheelers. But people still park their vehicles on the road because there is no concept of free parking for first hour, said Mishra.

Municipal commissioner Indramani Tripathi said, “Providing free parking for first hour is a good idea, which LMC is thinking of implementing in the city. This can solve the problem of haphazard parking, which affects free flow of traffic in the city.”

On imposing fines at places where no parking is available, the municipal commissioner said: “The LMC wants to create parking spaces in places like Moulviganj and Nakkhas but there is no place left for parking. In Yahiyaganj, we have a plan to develop parking in the park in front of Siddhnath Temple.”

At other places like Aminabad, we are working on a plan to shift street vendors to a different place. In Alambagh, we have already shifted 88 street vendors and this will help in creating enough space for temporary parking of vehicles, said Tripathi.

FINE FOR WRONG PARKING

*During the last four months, 52 people have been penalised for wrong parking in areas like Indira Nagar, Badshah Nagar, Nishatganj, Charbagh, Nakkhas, Moulviganj, Rajajipuram, Krishna Nagar.

*How can authorities penalise anyone for parking vehicles at a place where LMC has not provided any parking lot” asked Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’, leader of opposition in LMC House.

Hazratganj parking has space for 300 cars and 180 two-wheelers while Sarojini Naidu parking lot has capacity of 220 four-wheelers and 150 two-wheelers. But people still park their vehicles on the road because there is no concept of free parking for first hour, said Girish Mishra, corporator from Sardar Patel ward.