- To avoid parking fees, drivers creating chaos, causing major inconvenience to the public
Bhopal: City streets, particularly in commercial hubs like MP Nagar and New Market, have become a chaotic scene of illegally parked vehicles. Despite the presence of multiple multi-level parking facilities, drivers are choosing to clog public roads, leading to traffic jams, safety hazards, and a general state of disorder.
The issue is especially pronounced in MP Nagar Zone 1. A recent visit revealed the area’s multi-level parking garage, which has a capacity for 800 two-wheelers and 1,800 four-wheelers, was nearly empty. Only about 150 two-wheelers and a mere 50 to 60 four-wheelers were parked inside. Meanwhile, the roads outside were a solid wall of vehicles.
Mukesh Pandey, the parking manager, expressed frustration, stating, “The parking fees are very low, specifically to encourage people to use the facility. But as evening approaches, more vehicles are parked on the streets than inside. This often leads to near-accidents as people try to navigate the narrow spaces.”
Ineffective enforcement fuels the problem
The root of this widespread disregard for parking rules appears to be a lack of consistent enforcement. While the municipal corporation and traffic police occasionally launch short-lived campaigns to tow vehicles and issue fines, these efforts are often too infrequent to have a lasting impact. As soon as the brief operation concludes, the old habits return, and the roads are once again filled with illegally parked cars and bikes.
The consequences of this negligence are far-reaching. Two-lane roads are often reduced to a single lane as one side becomes a makeshift parking lot. This slows down traffic significantly, especially during peak hours, and leads to frustrating bottlenecks. Pedestrians are also put at risk, as the reduced space increases the likelihood of accidents.
A blame game between departments
When questioned about the issue, officials seem to be pointing fingers. Prem Shankar Shukla from the municipal corporation stated that the responsibility for vehicles parked on the street lies with the traffic police. He noted that the corporation only conducts enforcement drives in collaboration with the police. This jurisdictional confusion and lack of a unified approach may be contributing to the ineffectiveness of enforcement.
