Illegally parked lorries causing traffic snarls

Vanasthalipuram: Even as the Telangana government is taking measures to turn Hyderabad as signal-free city with traffic regulations, diversions, U-turns etc., across the city,some people are putting spokes in its plans and queering pitch for its ambitious people.

The state government has already kicked off measures in LB Nagar division to make it free of traffic signals. Accordingly, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) started construction of flyovers and under pass ways in LB Nagar division. A flyover at LB Nagar area and an underpass way from Sagar Ring Road connecting National Highway 65 are already in use and the rest are under construction.

However, a large number of lorry drivers in the same area are stymying the ambitious plans of GHMC to make the area free of traffic chaos, and blatantly violating traffic rules. There is a private parking place near Autonagar in Vanasthalipuram division. Many lorry drivers park their vehicles in this place. The problem arises when the parking space is full. The drivers parkvehicles on the road itself and go for a break. Vanasthalipuram traffic police are imposing penalties regularly but there is no change in the situation.

Commuters on the road are facing hardships due to traffic congestion in the area. The problem is mainly faced in peak hours in morning and evening. They want the officials to find a solution to the problem at the earliest.

"We are regularly imposing penalties of Rs 1000 on the vehicles which are parked on the roads under illegal parking or dangerous parking. We cannot take the vehicle into our custody as it is beyond our boundaries. Nearly 800 to 1000 vehicles are penalized daily," said RB Naik, Traffic CI, Vanasthalipuram Division.

"We will park our vehicles for just one or two hours, as there is no option of parking inside. If traffic police suggests us not to keep our vehicles here, we would have found another place for parking," said Ganesh, alorry driver who parked the vehicle on road.

"We are facing a lot of trouble due to the lorries parked on the road. As this road is always busy with buses passing, it becomes difficult to travel in morning hours. If once we are stuck in the traffic, we have to wait for 15 to 20 minutes to move the vehicle," says Gangu Naidu, anIT employee.

"I have seen many times that traffic police are clicking a picture and going. This is not the way to bring a change in them. Because many of the driversare not owners, they hire lorries. Police should counsel the drivers. A traffic police should always be available in the location," says Amar, owner of Srinivasa Electricals, which is located near the parking area.