Panvel roads are illegal parking zones

Navi Mumbai Haphazard and illegal parking of vehicles on the internal roads across Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) node has added to traffic problems. Residents

Navi Mumbai Haphazard and illegal parking of vehicles on the internal roads across Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) node has added to traffic problems. Residents have again raised the issue with the civic body and traffic police, demanding freeing up roads for motorists.

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The roads in Old Panvel, station road and vegetable market in Panvel are narrow and illegal parking worsens the traffic problems, especially during peak hours.

Commuters have highlighted the issue through social media to draw attention of authorities.

A major portion of Taloja Link road, which connects Mumbra, Panvel and Sion- Panvel highway after passing the Kalamboli stretch, has become a parking zone for vehicles.

Kamothe, which connects Sion-Panvel highway, too has been facing the problem of illegal parking of heavy vehicles. As there are no dedicated parking lots, all internal roads are used for parking illegally.

Prashant Rasal, additional commissioner of PCMC, said, “We have discussed the issue with traffic officers, who have said they would initiate action against illegal parking. Also, City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) will soon hand over plots reserved for various purposes. Some of them will be developed for parking lots.”

Sunil Lokhande, deputy commissioner police (traffic), said, “Towing vans keep roaming to check illegal parking. Car jammers are used to discourage parking near station areas and other busy junctions.”

The traffic cops are planning a special drive to curb illegal parking in prime locations and important junctions in the city.

PCMC and traffic police are also taking help of the local police station to monitor the area and prevent illegal parking.

Transport activist Hemant Sharma said, “There are parking lots near Kamothe railway station but people park on no-parking zones so that they don’t have to pay parking charges. There are no parking zones and people don’t follow odd-even parking rule leading to chaos.”

Similarly, heavy vehicles too are parked on internal roads despite having a parking lot at Kalamboli steel market. “They too want to evade parking charges hence, park their vehicles along the roads near the highway. The officials need to be more vigilant in curbing illegal parking,” said Sharma.

“Morning commute is difficult as lanes are narrow and vehicles are parked on both sides. We often get stuck in jam and it takes more than 20-30 minutes to get out,” said Abhishek Jadhav, 40, a Panvel resident.

Residents said that the civic body needs to be strict and take major decision in the city’s development.

“PCMC has to start solving traffic issues. Most of the internal lanes are narrow. Still civic body depends on Cidco to provide amenities in the area.”

Nodes such as Kharghar, Panvel, Kamothe, Roadpali and Karanjade come under PCMC but amenities in these nodes are still provided by Cidco.

PCMC has taken charge of Old Panvel and some sectors of Panvel.

“For many heavy vehicle drivers, internal roads are safe for parking as nobody questions them. This has become a regular issue for us. This makes our area unsafe,” said Kalpesh Tiwary, 48, a resident of Kamothe.