No action against buildings violating parking norms

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 20

A number of commercial buildings are being constructed in blatant violation of building bylaws, without leaving proper parking space which is a statutory requirement, but the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) seems to be still in a deep slumber.

In the absence of proper parking arrangements in such buildings, visitors are forced to park their vehicles on roads. Traffic-related problems are also common at various markets, including Model Town, Ghumar Mandi, due to inadequate parking space. However, no action was taken against buildings near Fountain Chowk, College Road, Model Town, Ghumar Mandi, Ferozepur Road, Pakhowal Road, Malhar Road and various other areas.

Questions are being raised over the role of the officials concerned as to how these buildings got occupied without obtaining the completion certificates from the MC.

Kapil Arora of the Council of Engineers (CoE) claimed that around 95 per cent of commercial buildings are observed to be violating building bylaws and a majority of these lack parking arrangements. “It is the responsibility of the MC authorities to take necessary action against the buildings which were constructed after the building bylaws were formed in the state. Illegal constructions and violations should be removed and building owners directed to make proper parking arrangements. If the MC can demolish illegal structures on highways, it should also act against the buildings without parking space,” he said.

It has been seen that vehicles are parked in haphazard manner outside various buildings, including commercial complexes, educational institutes, banks, factories etc. The MC had planned to construct new multi-level parking lots at different locations, including Feroze Gandhi Market, but these are yet to be constructed.

“No measures are being taken to construct parking lots at prominent city markets. It is a serious issue, but has always been ignored. The state government should pay attention to address parking-related issues in the city,” said Gagandeep Singh Walia, a city resident.

Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu could not be contacted for his comment.