In the wake of the festival rush during the upcoming fortnight, the senior superintendent of police (SSP) traffic Shashank Anand has designated parking space in 24 government schools, two open spaces and a college for the commuters to utilise.
The parking service will be open from 3pm till 10pm until Diwali, that is November 7.
The SSP wrote to the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) to regulate the traffic.Some of the busy markets such as in Sectors 20, 22 and Manimajra have more than one government school. The development comes after mayor Davesh Moudgil had issued instructions to open up community centres for free parking during the festival season.
5 directives to streamline traffic
The SSP has also issued five directives to streamline traffic congestion after studying the issue from last year. According to the directives, shopkeepers have been advised to park their vehicles on the rear side of their shops, and avoid the front. Shopkeepers have been told not to encroach upon the parking areas and to stop street vendors from doing the same. Shopkeepers have also been warned not to park on cycle tracks, or drive their vehicles on it.
{{/usCountry}}The SSP has also issued five directives to streamline traffic congestion after studying the issue from last year. According to the directives, shopkeepers have been advised to park their vehicles on the rear side of their shops, and avoid the front. Shopkeepers have been told not to encroach upon the parking areas and to stop street vendors from doing the same. Shopkeepers have also been warned not to park on cycle tracks, or drive their vehicles on it.
{{/usCountry}}Market associations have been urged to depute their own volunteers to manage the traffic in front of the shops and to put up information signboards to guide the customers to the community centres and schools designated for the parking.
Charanjiv Singh, chairman of CBM, said “The provisions are sufficient to ease the flow of traffic. “The community centres are opened up every year, and the schools will also help with the parking, which becomes an issue for four to five days before Diwali.”
Singh said he will meet the SSP over allowing some of the traffic police personnel to guide commuters to these alternative parking sites.
‘Need more provisions’
Subhash Narang, president of Traders Association, Chandigarh, said , “Over the years, the incidents of accidents and mishaps due to overcrowding have increased. More provisions need to be taken, and an ambulance in every market is a must.”
Ramji Manchanda, president of Sector 19 Traders Welfare Association, said the government had created this problem of overcrowding by legalising street vendors, who take up the parking spaces.”
Strap On till Diwali Park in front of GMSSS in Sector 22A, and open space in front of a school in Sector 44 and Govt College, Sector 46, also designated for parking