Despite a massive crackdown on illegal the parking by the city traffic police, the errant motorists continue to engage in triple row parking in the no-parking zones.
Even as the Mumbai Traffic Police have deployed 36 civic towing vehicles, the problem continues to persist. While the citizens have been complaining regularly, the police claim that a large number of private vehicles have been added to the regular traffic as Mumbai's lifeline — local trains — are only open for the staff of essential services and now the women commuters.
Since last week, the Mumbai Traffic Police had carried out massive campaign to reduce the parking woes and had taken 36 towing vans from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for this purpose. However, the parking woes continue to exist.
A long row of illegal parking was seen on the Sulochna Sheti Marg in Sion, just opposite the traffic beat chowky located under the flyover. A senior citizen and resident of Sion said, "I have repeatedly complained about the double-triple row parking on the footpath, but hardly any action has been taken in this regard.
These illegally parked vehicles leave no place for pedestrians on the footpath, compelling them to walk along the road." While the traffic police helpline was given an official intimation from the control room to initiate action, the vehicles were neither towed nor moved from there, said another resident.
The number of parked vehicles had increased in the city during the COVID-19 induced lockdown as nobody was allowed to step out of their homes, let alone drive vehicles, said a traffic police official. Even as unlock procedure set in pace, the parking woes refused to die down, calling for a renewed method on illegal parking, the official added. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the parking problems existed.
But it was far less as daily passengers preferred to travel by public transport and local trains. Similar complaints have flown in from the neighborhoods, which have been facing the same problem for years. Other roads which have been facing triple row parking issues are New National Market in Wadala and area near Dadar TT.
