Bhopal: New Market Businessmen Association and Bhopal Municipal Corporation are at loggerheads over converting non-notified peripheral parking lots into red zones. BMC administration has declared the entire patch stretching from Top ‘n’ Town to Mrignayani and on the opposite lane from Crown Palace Hotel, Brijwasi sweets to Panchanand building as ‘red zone’.
And now with BMC turning the entire patch from Top ‘n’ Town to Mrignayani as ‘red zone’, traffic police will be free to challan motorists over illegal parking. The New Market Businessmen Association, however is not happy with the decision as they believe that instead of being declared as no-parking zones, the authorities should turn them into paid parking zone as it would generate more revenue.
Citing convenience of customers, the association claimed that customers who drop by and do not spend much time in market used ton park vehicles in these two lanes. The declaration of these lanes as red zone will discourage people to stop by here as they will not be willing to go all the way to smart multi-level parking lot or other to other paid parking spaces during their short visit to market, the businessmen said.
BMC deputy commissioner Harish Gupta said that notified parking lots will continue but the non-notified parking – from Top ‘n’ Town to Mrignayani and on opposite lane from Crown Palace Hotel to Panchanand building has been notified as Red-Zone. These lanes have been declared as no parking zone and any violation will invite penalty, the officer said.
For the convenience of shoppers and motorist, besides, notified peripheral parking lots, the BMC has developed a multi-level parking space in New Market. New Market Businessmen have been demanding the BMC to allot 50 per cent space in multi-level parking to them on paid or monthly pass system. There are about 900 registered businessmen, while the parking space in all has capacity to accommodate 1000 cars only.
Businessmen Association president Satish Gangarade termed the decision as irrational stating that it will create a lot of inconvenience to visitors. “We demand authorities to continue to allow parking of vehicles in these two lanes. The lanes were used to park four-wheelers for years. Instead of disallowing parking all together, such places should be converted into paid-parking zone as it will bring in more revenue for BMC,” argued Gangarade.
He also said that the matter regarding allotment of 50% space in multi-level parking has been put before the BMC commissioner and it is likely to be settled within couple of days. Traffic police does not know the status of non-notified parking lots which have been declared Red Zone by BMC so BMC administration had to install board mentioning “Drop and Go” only and “No Parking”. Board has been installed just for information to public as well as traffic police.
