Parking on widened road

The contractor has put up parking boards in front of no parking signboards and bus stops. And the shopkeepers, whose shops were demolished for road widening, are complaining that if the widened road is used for parking and not for traffic, then it defeats the entire purpose.

Venting his ire against the new pay and park scheme, K Mahesh, who owns a garment shop adjacent to Kumthekar road, said, 8220;Our shops were demolished by the Pune Municipal Corporation PMC citing that a wide road is necessary to accommodate increasing traffic.

The PMC demolished half my shop and made space for four wheelers to park. Why did they demolish my shop if the space was to be used for parking and not for its intended purpose? Now, with cars parked on the road, the carriage width of the road has reduced.8221;

Police Inspector Chandrahas Patil Traffic of Vishrambaug division said, 8220;Traffic congestion is so severe on Kumthekar Road. Contractors have been allowed to charge for four wheeler parking at the rate of Rs five per hour on the Alka Talkies 8211; Kumthekar Road 8211; Bajirao Road stretch. It will be best if parking is not allowed on this road.8221;

8220;I summoned the contractor today as he had put the parking boards at no parking zones and bus stops. This only aggravated the traffic situation. I have requested him to remove these boards at the earliest,8221; Patil said.

He added that he will study the traffic situation on the roads on which pay and park scheme has just been started.

8220;I cannot take any decision right away as the contractor for pay and park has been appointed by the PMC. But, if this affects the traffic situation then I will consult my seniors and decide the future course of action,8221; he said.