Optimum use of vacant space can end parking woes

The City Beautiful has the highest number of registered vehicles, around 800 per thousand persons.  This has certainly aggravated parking problems and causes traffic chaos.  The Municipal Corporation (MC) should hold the cudgels and check haphazard parking. The MC must construct multistoried parking in most congested markets.  Besides, vacant space in schools, which close at 2.30 pm, can also be used for parking.  Every private house owner has developed a grassy patch on the government land adjacent to the boundary wall of his/her house. It should be vacated and used as parking of vehicles.

Harish Kapur, Chandigarh

Residents must develop civic sense

To solve parking problems in the city, firstly, the administration should remove encroachments as these are one of the biggest reasons behind traffic chaos.  In markets, vendors set up their make-shift stalls at various places that make places more crowded and hazardous for commuters. They remove their items during encroachment drives but re-settle as soon as it is over considering nobody would come back. Such type of activities should be reported to the authority concerned for immediate action against defaulters.  In sectors, illegal construction, encroachment of parking areas and lanes should be demolished.  Residents should develop the civic sense of parking systematically, not occupying more space than needed and taking care of others’ convenience.  Car pooling, using public transport and walking or pedaling to nearby places are good alternatives to reduce the number of vehicles on roads and traffic chaos.

Rashi Srivastava, Chandigarh

Induct more buses in public transport

It is a huge challenge for the authorities to find an answer to the growing parking problem as Chandigarh is not planned for such an onslaught of population and expansion. But a remedy has to be found. First, induct at least 100 more buses in the public transport system and try to reduce the number of small vehicles on roads.  Underground lots, using over the roof and unused areas can help increase parking space. Clear slums for parking lots and rehabilitate displaced people in a separate colony. Encourage commuters to use cycles for short distances, particularly the youth. The police have to be more efficient, remove bottlenecks and minimise traffic jams. The SP (Traffic) and his staff should be on the move to sort out parking problems. It will also give more confidence to the people, help in checking traffic violations and lessen parking woes.

Colonel RD Singh (retd), Ambala   

Introduce Metro rail immediately 

To overcome parking problem the available space should be used to its optimum with the help of contractor’s staff, who should be trained in marshalling vehicles. The odd-even formula if implemented will reduce vehicles considerably.  Metro rail should be introduced immediately. The citizens should start pooling their vehicles. Sale of new vehicles should be regulated as it is adding to the existing number of four and two-wheelers. Traffic, pollution and road accidents can be reduced by these measures.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

People in habit of using own vehicles

With the constant increase of the population the number of vehicles has also gone up too. Citizens have become habitual of using their own cars or scooters, which has created space problem and congestion. To overcome the situation there is need to change the mindset of people and to convince them to use public transport. Buses with 10 minute frequency should be introduced on every route to desist public from using their vehicles. Use of cycles and strict enforcement of traffic rules can help ease congestion.

Vista Sugar Garg, Panchkula

Revival of Metro project can help

Lack of planning, accountability and pleasing the Centre has scraped the metro project. International flights are being withdrawn due to inadequate landing arrangement at the Chandigarh airport. Not a positive sign to attract investors, which affects development of the tricity and generating jobs. It is high time that the administration should plan beyond issuing challans to the people in the city as they are facing hardship in parking their vehicles due to inadequate space. The administration should plan multi-level car parkings and utilise open spaces as parking lots with access to basic amenities. Improvement in the public transport, especially revival of the metro, can help check the problem.

Col Balbir Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh 

Authorities are not sincere in efforts

The problem is of scarcity of parking space in residential areas as well as markets in the tricity. The authorities are often brisk on penalising citizens for hurdles without anticipating their problems. Adequate parking space must be provided for residents’ before punishing them. Existing encroachments by residents, if any, can be removed without imposing fines because the authorities too are lax on their part.

MPS Chadha, Mohali

Introduce swift means of transport

Earlier, the Chandigarh Administration had explored number of options to check the growing menace of parking in the City Beautiful, which still confronts acute shortage of space to handle the rush of vehicles. The city and the adjoining region is fit for the introduction of swift means of transport, including metro, monorails and trams, to cope with the rush and also to reduce the number of small vehicles on roads/in parking lots. The administration should seriously consider construction of multi-storey parking lots to utilise vacant spaces nearby shopping centres and public dealing offices/buildings for the convenience of the public.

Bhupinder S Sealopal, Mohali

Introduce tricity buses in the region 

Lot has been written in these columns about parking blues in the tricity. Many valuable suggestions have been forthcoming from subscribers, but the government has some how failed to address this issue. The parking problem is not only worrysome in commercial hubs, but is equally grave in residential areas. The existing parking lots are inadequate and also ill-managed, which adds to inconvenience of commuters. Harassment of the public is bound to increase with around 900 new vehicles per month added to city roads. The Administration has to take a call and plan multi-level parking lots lest the situation will get from bad to worse. As an immediate measure, the government should provide efficient inter-city bus service for commuters and on experimental basis may introduce plying of odd and even number vehicles on designated days. The proposal of merto network for the tricity can also be revived. Till such time some plausible solution is found the commuters may be permitted to park vehicles on roadside berms, where cycle track is not occupied.  

SS Arora, Mohali

Hike parking fee in city 

I am of the firm opinion that only one vehicle be allowed in each family only if they have adequate space in their house. It has been observed that three to four cars are purchased in certain cases even if there is no space to park. The public should use local transport. In markets, parking fee should be at least Rs 50 for four hours. If it is imposed the people will not use their vehicles and prefer local transport.

Tarlok Singh, MHC Mani Majra 

Less public transport as compared to cars

The public transport is almost nil as compared to cars in the city.  Solution to problem lies in increasing public transport by allowing private local buses and starting metro train.  Hike in parking charges like in Singapore on per second basis will also help in reducing congestion. Sooner or later, we shall have to implement such measures to address the problem. 

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Reduce parking fee in city

Chandigarh is adding number of vehicles with each passing day. Volume of traffic has risen manifold, but the parking space is shrinking. Vacant space is encroached by street vendors. Due to liberal attitude of the Administration, vendors who are mostly outsiders are increasing in the city. No doubt, getting a space for parking is nothing less than winning a prize. Further, parking rates must be reduced to boost the trend to park vehicles in designated areas.

Gobind Ahuja, Chandigarh   

Ban more than two cars per family

There is no denying the fact that the ever increasing number of vehicles year after year has eaten away the parking space everywhere in the city. The UT Administration has failed to put its foot down in checking new registrations of vehicles and become a party to let the problem increase. While underground parking at congested places is a long term solution, what needs to be done immediately is to put a blanket ban on every family to not own more than two cars. I know a gentleman, staying single, but he owns six vehicles and parks each one at the nearest available open space resulting in brawls with neighbours. Such instances could have been checked if the UT Administration had some vision a few years ago. However, it’s better late than never. 

 SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Instil parking discipline in residents

To reduce chaos and solve the parking problem, vehicles should be parked at designated places. Otherwise, the traffic police should swing into action to enforce parking discipline and repeated violators should be dealt with strictly. Other well-planned alternatives such as pedestrian networks, public transit and better cycling infrastructure can also be added to reduce the parking problem as people will be less inclined to drive.

Priya Darsh Growar, Mohali 

Restrict purchase of vehicles per family

The authorities should fix a limit for people to purchase vehicles, especially four wheelers, to one per household irrespective of its size. This may certainly reduce the vehicular movement on city roads and ultimately congestion in parking lots. 

Gurjinder Singh Thuha, Chandigarh   

Follow steps implemented in Mumbai

A planned city has been turned by migrants into a nightmare for themselves as also local vehicle owners. The freedom of movement, as given by the Constitution, is being misused by all. This is a very disturbing trend. The solution, some of which has been implemented in Mumbai, can be done here too. Ensure better public transport. Enhance service of AC buses on a point to point basis, especially at peak hours from Zirakpur to Sector 17, High Court, Technology Park, Mohali and other places. Ban or have restricted area access for auto-rickshaws in select markets, especially in Sector 17, 22, and 35. Have a park and ride system, where you deploy only e-rickshaws. Build underground parking lots. Increase road tax on new vehicles being registered in the city, and that too based on cost of the vehicle and not on its engine capacity. Higher parking fee at designated parking lots with minimum Rs 50, which goes up by Rs 20 per hour can deter people from using own vehicles. The traffic police should have more towing vehicles ideally one per sector for better enforcement of rules. Such baby steps will improve living conditions and movement of the traffic.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

Construct underground parking in each sector

It was shocking to see few youths bashing an advocate and his father in Panchkula over the dispute arising out of parking on the plot belonging to the former recently. The saying ‘might is right’ goes correct in this case.   Not only Panchkula, but its other two sisters Chandigarh and Mohali, are facing traffic woes these days. Wrong parking of vehicles creates feuds between neighbours and passersby as landlords occupy roads and public places. The administration of the tricity should tell all residents to park their vehicles within the specified house area to keep roads vacant for free movement of vehicles. But, these days every household has minimum two to three cars. So, it isn’t possible to park all vehicles within the house. The number of cars registered on same name should be limited. Also, common underground parking should be constructed in all sectors beneath parks. If drastic steps are not taken by the authorities to control number of vehicles in the tricity, then the day isn’t far when every time, people will park vehicles outside their houses on wrong sides leading to brawls. 

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali 

Widen gates of marla houses

As with private builders in Mohali, the Chandigarh Administration should also dig up some parks to construct underground car parking. Parks can again come up on the parking roof. Besides, front gate of the marla houses should be widened so as to accommodate cars inside the front boundary wall. 

Sarbjit Singh, Chandigarh

QUESTION

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has decided to allot 3 acres of land to set up a specialty hospital through an open action and has fixed Rs 81 crore as reserve price. What do you think about the decision? Do you think that allotting the land through an open auction will make the medical services costly. Or are you in favour of allotting the land to hospitals at subsidised rates so that these can provide medical facilities to residents at nominal rates. Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com