The police finally have a solution to the parking problem in Salt Lake. They have started fining any car they see parked on the main roads – be it a resident’s, visitor’s, or shopper’s. But while some have welcomed the move, others are calling it draconian and impractical.

Action mode

The police drive started intermittently around March 10 and last week it continued for three successive days from Thursday to Saturday. “We are keeping the First Avenue, Second Avenue, Broadway and the crossroads clear. We are not entering the lanes and bylanes inside the blocks,” said a senior officer.
“We are asking people not to keep cars parked on the main roads or the connecting roads, like from PNB towards City Centre or Tank 4 to the canalside,” said a police officer. “We will not discriminate between residents’ cars and cars of customers visiting the shops on the ground floor,” he added.

Over 3,000 prosecutions have already been made but the commissionerate top brass insists that raising awareness is more important to them than prosecution.
“We used to conduct such raids earlier, too. The area around the Bhikharam shop at City Centre has always been a headache. You clear the zone, prosecute 50 cars, and in no time,e a similar number of vehicles are back to block the cleared area,” said an officer who has been posted in the area for several years.

Of the main roads of Salt Lake, Broadway is the least of their worries, cops say. “That is because it has a service lane. The other roads have no such options. So bus bay to auto stand, it’s all on the carriageway, eating into the space for the plying of vehicles,” a traffic department officer said.

Traffic management experts point to faulty planning on behalf of the civic body in allowing restaurants and spas to open on the main road. “None of them have their own parking space. Even a shopping mall in Sector III, operating with a multiplex on top, has little space for parking,” he said.
A guard at the IB Block mall said they had space for 20-30 vehicles. “But people park mostly on the streets to avoid paying the fee. Since last week, the police have barricaded the space in front of the mall,” he said. Undeterred, drivers are parking their cars along the empty plot adjacent to IB Park.

“It’s a cat-and-mouse game. They move their cars to the block lanes while our drive is on. Once we leave, they come back,” a police officer said.

Fine time

The penalty for unauthorised parking is Rs 500. “People coming in big cars for a cup of coffee think little of even this amount,” sighed an officer.
Another problem is pendancy. Traffic violations are now notified via message to the vehicle owners over their registered mobile numbers. The first message does not have a pay-by date. “About half the people don’t pay,” smirked a traffic personnel. “When we slap a fine, we often find that there is already another case pending against the car’s number.”
Once 80 days are over, they get a second message seeking payment within the next 10 days. After that, the pending challans are sent to the Lok Adalat. “Realisation of a traffic fine becomes even more time-consuming as the court convenes at intervals of a month or two,” a policeman said.

Bring it on

Many residents are welcoming the police initiative. Gora Roy, secretary of CF Block residents’ association, couldn’t be happier. “We were informed about this move at a meeting we had with the police last week, and we are delighted,” he said.

The stretch on CF Block that houses eateries like Sharma Tea and Gupta Brothers is, more often than not, choked by rows of vehicles, sometimes in double lanes. “A couple of years ago they had started a similar drive here, and the cars cleared out in no time. But they discontinued after three or four days. They must maintain steam this time,” says Roy.

Many houses in their block have four or five cars which are parked outside as the garage is rented out to a caretaker. “Despite the law requiring new high rises to convert their ground into parking lots, many don’t follow it,” says Roy. “We have approached the authorities multiple times asking them to start fee parking in the Sharma Tea area. Residents’ cars can be given stickers so they are exempt, but others should be charged. Night parking throughout the township will be a source of revenue to the cash-strapped corporation as well.”

Voices of dissent

Residents who have been served a penalty, however, are livid.

“Never have I ever been fined for speeding or jumping a red light, but I get fined now for parking my car outside my own house,” exclaims Sukanta Sanyal of BL Block.

Sanyal is unable to park his cars in their driveway as it is a common area shared with his sister’s family living above them. “All the empty plots in the block have been turned into nurseries, so it’s not like I can keep the cars there either. If our vehicles are such a nuisance, why don’t they simply improve the public transport system? I was forced to buy my cars in the first place after they discontinued all the buses that crossed our house,” fumes Sanyal.

Both his cars have got two parking tickets each, but he refuses to pay them. “They cannot fine me without issuing a notice or warning beforehand and I will move court for this if I have to,” he resolves.

Another resident who got fined, twice, is physician Rajesh Chel of HB Block. “I live in a co-operative building with seven other flats. We do have space to keep cars within the complex, but I go for house calls round the clock. Every time I need to step out, am I to disturb seven other residents to come down and take their cars out so I can manoeuvre my car out from behind theirs?” he asks.

And when he visits patients’ homes, he wonders if he’s expected to drive around their block first, looking for parking space in some obscure lane, and then walk up to their doorstep. “I simply cannot waste time like this when I’m on emergency duty,” says the doctor. Chel’s car got fined on two occasions, and he too feels it was unfair of the police to do so without prior intimation.

“The days when there are important football matches at the stadium, we are informed and we keep our cars inside the compound, but this is unfair,” he says.

Unpopular wave

In BE Block, the police went door-to-door last week asking residents to remove their cars but residents are not amused. “We have nine members in our family and four cars. Two fit in the driveway but the others we are forced to keep on the road,” said a resident, who was warned by the police.

“The cops had started such a drive before, too, and I had told them I was ready to pay for the space we occupy. They took down names and numbers but then abandoned it all.”

Another resident is a tenant in the block and does not have access to the driveway. “When I told this to the cops they said ‘ota amader matha byatha noy’ and moved on,” he says. “Is the police here to help us or harass us?”

Bane for lanes

Arunava Das of BA Block feels the move is illogical. “A electronic gadget store on our main road sells expensive appliances so do they expect customers to come here by auto?” wonders Das.

“And if they do come by car but are refused space in front of the store, they will park in the lanes, which are choking.” Das is the immediate past president of his block, and in his tenure they issued some 200 stickers to residents’ cars and bikes to keep track of the parking issue.

HB Block secretary Anagh Bhattacharya has the same concern. “I live on the lane opposite Queen of the Missions School and students’ vehicles block my gate so badly I can’t even take out a cycle from my house. So if cars are banished from the main roads and they head to the lanes, they will add to our problems,” he says.

The street in front of Smart Bazaar (formerly Big Bazaar) in IB Block is another obstacle course. “Bikes block half the street here, and more travel on the wrong side. In the evening, we can’t even walk there,” says an executive body member of the block. “But the police can’t book these vehicles as this is an authorised fee parking zone.”

Stop to shop

Commercial establishments are upset about the move, too. The three restaurants — Fly Kouzina, Kouzina Mining, and Kouzina Marine — are all located on main roads of AD and BD blocks, where the cops have already gone knocking.

“Since they’ve just started the drive, they let our guests off with a warning, but this is no permanent solution,” says Mohit Harlalka, a partner of the chain. “The AD-BD Block area has some30 restaurants and cafes, which have a minimum of two or three guests at any time.

Where is there space to park60 to 70 extra cars in the blocks? Before issuing trade licenses left, right and centre, the authorities must consider if the existing infrastructure can support the resultant surge in demand,” says Harlalka.

Guests of Fly Kouzina at present are being asked to park in an empty space next door but there is no such solution for the other branches.

“Valet service is impractical too as it would mean parking in bylanes, which are too narrow anyway and would invite objection from residents,” he says. One edge of CK Market lies on the Second Avenue too and it would be chaotic if customers aren’t allowed to park by its side.

“Then again, people are forced to park there as much of the actual parking lot has got encroached by illegal shops. If they are removed cars can return there. If not, it will affect sales,” says Shyamal Kanti Roy, past executive committee member of the market (a new committee is waiting to be formed).

Last word

Residents who have been slapped fines have started complaining to the authorities. “I have got several calls from HB Block residents about this,” says local councillor Ranjan Poddar.

“I have spoken and written to the police requesting them not to impose fines right away. While I agree that cars mustn’t be left on the main road, this is what people have been used to all along.

The police should first inform residents about this new order and issue warnings before fining,” said Poddar.