Come out with plan on vending zones, parking slots Patna: HC

Taking serious note over resurfacing of encroachments after removal and unregulated parking of vehicles on roads, the judges asked the authorities concerned to check this menace.

The Patna high court court on Monday said nobody was permitted to do business on roads.

An anti-encroachment drive is underway in Kankarbagh, Patna City and Bankipore circles of Patna. (HT Photo)

Roads were for smooth movement of vehicles, a division bench of chief justice MR Shah and justice Ashutosh Kumar said while hearing a bunch of petitions complaining traffic chaos, illegal parking and encroachment on roads across the state capital.

The court posted the matter for further monitoring after three weeks.

The judges directed the state government and the Patna municipal Corporation (PMC) to come out with a concrete plan on creation of vending zones and parking slots in the state capital by the next date of hearing.

Taking serious note over resurfacing of encroachments after removal and unregulated parking of vehicles on roads, the judges asked the authorities concerned to check this menace. Train the police to ensure that vehicles were not parked on roads, they said.

The state government informed the court that during the recent drive many permanent encroachments were removed and ₹14-lakh fine was recovered from owners of illegally parked vehicles.

The PMC told the court that anti-encroachment drive was underway in Kankarbagh, New Capital, Patna City and Bankipore circles of Patna.

The report of the drive against unauthorized occupants in the New Capital circle revealed that encroachments were removed from 37 places. It said three permanent encroachments were removed from Boring Road and Dak Bungalow Road areas and fine of ₹12 lakh recovered from squatters.

The district administration and PMC on Monday furnished detailed action taken reports in compliance of the court’s order passed August 20.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing street vendors complained that vending zones had been earmarked long back but the state authorities were not taking a final decision to make them a reality. They pleaded for a direction for creation of vending zones soon.