Nagpur: The Nagpur police unequivocally deserves a pat on their backs for the unprecedented and brave initiative of banning parking of all types of vehicles on entire stretch of Wardha Road right from Hotel Pride near airport to Samvidhan Chowk (RBI Square) in view of frequent movement of VVIPs and for security consideration.
The Joint Commissioner of Police Rajvardhan has issued a notification to this effect that says roadside parking of all types of vehicles would be banned on the stretch of the road not only during Assembly session period, but will be in force forever.
Almost all Nagpurians know that the stretch of road from Hotel Pride to Morris College T Point is a major commercial hub and both the sides of road are used for parking. The road is dotted with commercial establishments, big and small, hotels and restaurants and a array of hospitals.
The notification under Section 15 (2) of the Rules of Road Regulation 1989 Act by which police can regulate and even ban the off-street parking is likely to face a stiff resistance from the business community. The notification gives power to traffic police to directly book vehicles under Maharashtra Police Act after which the vehicle owner has to appear in a court. In this situation, the owners of vehicles such as cars, two-wheelers etc could turn out to be sitting ducks. But what about the three-wheeled monsters – auto rickshaws? Will the monstrous menace of autos be controlled?
Auto menace:
The most accessible mode of transport in the Second Capital City of Nagpur is also the biggest menace on the streets. Hundreds and hundreds of auto rickshaws running on the city roads are turning out be a nuisance on all counts. Besides, rash driving and halting abruptly on busy roads, parking haphazardly at every possible place on the roadside and cramming passengers beyond the permitted limits, are the hallmarks of autos in the city.
The monsters violate traffic norms everywhere and all the time with impunity. An action or two is treated with disdain and there is absolutely no sober effect on the rude auto drivers. Day in and day out, thousands of auto-rickshaws ply on the city roads and hundreds of new ones are added every month.
It would not amount to a false statement that the menacing auto drivers in the city have virtually taken law into their own hands. The ground reality proves the point. The monsters snub the laws of traffic and create ruckus on city roads with no fear of police forget the law abiding citizens.
Every auto user has one complaint or the other. The traffic cops are treated like pygmies by the law-breaking auto drivers.
The most bitter truth about the auto menace is that the rash driving and haphazard parking at roadsides is leading to spurt in accidents with victims being other vehicle owners. The spots on the stretch of Wardha Road where parking of vehicles has been banned are bee-lined by autos.
The ‘No Parking’ on following roads has come into effect:
* Airport to Hotel Pride
* Hotel Pride to Coca Cola square
* CocaCola Square to Hindustan Square
* Hindustan Square to Ajni Square
* Ajni Square to Rahate Colony square
* Rahate Colony square to Morris College T-point
* Morris college T-point to Samvidhan Square
* Samvidhan Square to Akashwani Square
* Akashwani SquaretoLadiesclubsquare
* Ladies club square to Ramgiri
* Ramgiri to Raj Bhavan via Japani Garden
All these roads and spots are swarmed by unruly autos. Will the traffic cops act tough on these auto-wallahs? In all probability the unruly auto drivers would leave no stone unturned to make mockery of the parking ban.
With the menace and unruly behaviour of the auto drivers, the situation is getting from bad to worse day by day. Instead of effective service providers, Nagpur auto rickshaw drivers are turning monsters on the roads.
And these monsters could only be tamed by a stick, heavier and longer the better.
… Anil Rotkar
