The Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (Aiada) is mulling two parking zones for heavy vehicles along the Tata-Kandra Road to prevent routine encroachment of its service lanes.
Secretary of Aiada S.K. Dudhani said they were looking for suitable land - around five acres each near the Adityapur Toll Bridge and in Kandra - to free the service lanes along the 15km carriageway and stem accidents.
The risk of road fatalities increases manifold when two-wheelers - both cyclists and bikers - are forced to take the widened artery because trucks block the service lanes meant for them.
The Aiada secretary said they were trying to identify the plots with help from the Seraikela-Kharsawan district administration.
"We want at least two parking zones along the four-lane road so that truck operators do not encroach upon the service lanes," Dudhani said.
The Tata-Kandra Road, which links the steel city with Adityapur via the Kharkai bridge, is a lifeline for the twin industrial towns.
On an average, 1,000 trucks and other heavy vehicles ply on the road every day, while several more stop along it to load and unload goods. Toll collection on the road started from March 12.
Truck driver Satnam Singh Sindhu, who had stationed his vehicle near the thermal power plant in Gamharia, said they had a difficult time finding a suitable place to park.
"Since there is no alternative place for parking, we stop our trucks on the service lanes. Sometimes police threaten us. We also face the ire of the local administration. It will be good if parking zones are designated," said Sindhu.
The idea to set up parking lots for heavy vehicles had been mooted by functionaries of NGO Jan Kalyan Morcha when they had met Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner Chandra Shekhar at Aiada Bhavan. He is also the managing director of Aiada.
"We want an immediate solution to this problem as commuters risk life and limb owing to unauthorised parking on service lanes," said Om Prakash, president of the NGO.
Another pressing gripe is that half of the 15km road remains in the dark with no streetlights installed. Aiada is yet to take steps in this matter.
