Service lanes turn into parking spots, lead to traffic snarls

Service lanes in the city have evolved into ‘perfect parking spots’, leaving commuters stranded and defying the purpose for which they were developed — easing traffic congestions.

Even as the authorities speak in length about solving the bad traffic situation in the millennium city, long lines of vehicles are seen parked on service lanes, especially near malls and metro stations, as their owners go off to work or shop in the nearby complexes.

“I get stuck in traffic daily on the service lane near the Huda City Centre metro. The condition of service lanes in Gurgaon is as bad as the main roads. The traffic police needs to take strict action before these lanes are completely used as parking spaces,” L.K. Sharma, a daily commuter, said.

The situation is worse in areas with very high traffic volume such as the Huda City Center metro station, Iffco Chowk, and the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road.

The police and the authority have already tried a number of steps to decongest the traffic through these lanes by extending the lanes and constructing new lanes. However, as long as there is no check done on the space occupied by vehicles parked on the service lanes, the situation cannot be resolved.

“A number of taxi-cabs of the offices nearby are parked on the service lane near Huda City Centre metro station. There is absolutely no check done on these. The parked vehicles further narrow the already small service lanes and people are forced to take the main road, adding up to the traffic situation. The service lanes, which were constructed keeping in mind the free-flow of traffic, are definitely not solving the problem,” Lakshay, a student said.

Traffic officials said that such high number of vehicles was parked on the service lanes because the parking lots at malls and offices were full, leaving many other with no other option.

“For instance, the unauthorised parking on the MG Road can be solved permanently only by providing sufficient alternative parking space. We do fine people and even conduct drives where traffic offenders are fined on a large scale. However, this is not a permanent solution unless there are feasible alternatives provided. Autorickshaws are parked on the road as there is no designated parking spot for them,” said Bharti Arora, joint commissioner of police (traffic).