Traffic Dept begins drive against street parking

After the JK High Court took cognisance of parking on streets in Srinagar and ordered sealing of 27 shopping malls for lacking parking facility, the Traffic Department has started a drive against violators and banned parking in busy areas of the summer capital.

Officials of the Traffic Department said parking on streets had become a major hurdle in maintaining smooth flow of traffic in Srinagar forcing them to start a drive against illegal parking.

“We will intensify the drive in the coming days. We have marked the area for parking on roadsides with a yellow line where the road is more than 30 feet. In case of an emergency, people can park their cars for five to 10 minutes,” said Maqsood Ul Zaman, Superintendent of Traffic Police.

The department has asked shopkeepers and commuters to desist from parking vehicles in major areas of the city, including Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Polo View, Court Road, Hari Singh High Street, Jehangir Chowk, Maisuma, Budshah Chowk, Maulana Azad Road and Batamaloo. Officials said the drive had been started to implement court directions.

“We held a meeting with traders and have asked them not to park their cars on the road. There is a dearth of parking place in major areas of the city. Traders have been asked to use the yellow lined area till a permanent arrangement is done,” the official said.

The officials said the drive would help to ensure a smooth flow of vehicular traffic in the areas where more congestion is witnessed leading to long-hour gridlocks.

In absence of proper management and wrong parking, commercial areas in Srinagar are witnessing massive traffic jams for the past several months.

The JK High Court has directed the SMC to seal 27 shopping complexes in malls in Srinagar that have failed to restore parking facilities.