Trafic Police Taken for Granted Roadside & wrong parking spell chaos

  Hyderabad: Undeterred by the notices issued by traffic police, the managements of scores of function halls on the stretch between Kulsumpura in Karwan and Moghal ka Nala at Ring Road continue to allow roadside parking by visitors, which is resulting in traffic snarls frequently.

About a week back, the traffic police issued notices to the managements of some 15 function halls to ensure that visitors park their vehicles inside the hall premises. Showing scant regard for the notices, not only four-wheelers but also two-wheelers can be seen parked on the road during marriage season till late night hours. With traffic flow thinning at these points, commuters are put to a lot of hardships negotiating their way out of the chaotic movement.

The main reason for visitors parking on the roadside is that there is no ample space inside the function halls. Civic authorities while giving permissions have ignored whether there is adequate space on the premises. As a result, people are parking wherever they find space, be it on roads or in narrow lanes. Hundreds of vehicles can be seen parked on this stretch of around 800 meters. 

Despite being a two-lane road, the size of road shrinks due to this phenomenon. "It appears that the serenity and landscape of locality has completely been disturbed in the recent years after function halls mushroomed on both sides of the road. Not only main roads, even bylanes are choked, owing to the haphazard parking all over the place. Even the spaces close to gaps between dividers meant for U-turn have turned into parking spaces, thus further compounding the woes of motorists,” said Md Raheem, a resident.

Each year, with the onset of marriage season commuters begin to feel the heat, as vehicles move at a snail’s pace on this stretch.
 
Irrespective of warnings by the traffic police, security guards of function halls can be seen directing visitors to park their vehicles somewhere at roadside. “This kind of irresponsible behaviour on the part of managements is leading to blockage of the road. On both sides of the road, a huge number of vehicles can be seen parked heedlessly affecting the traffic flow,” said Shaik Sohail, another resident.
 
It is being alleged that even though the function halls charge heftily from their clients, there is no provision for parking for more than 5 four-wheelers inside the premises.  “Only 4-5 four-wheeler and some two-wheelers are generally allowed to park and the remaining visitors are forced to park their vehicles on road. It is the responsibility of function hall owners to provide required space. We, the visitors, have to suffer at the end of the day, if traffic police resorts to penal action for roadside parking," said Mohammed Majid, a visitor.

Speaking to The Hans India, ACP (Traffic) VVS Ramalinga Raju said a week back traffic police issued a notice to all the function hall managements to park the vehicles on their premises only. “If the issue is brought to our notice and if it is found that notices are ignored, legal action will be initiated. Cases will be booked against the managements of function halls for disobeying the rules,” he cautioned.