18 public parking lots ready, work on others on: BMC

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has informed the Bombay high court that the work on constructing parking lots to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles in the city is on in full swing. 

The BMC gave  assurances after the petitioner complained that neither the state nor the civic corporation was doing anything to alleviate traffic and parking woes of the city. A division bench comprising of Justices Naresh Patil and G. S. Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Janhit Manch, regarding the bad condition of roads in the city and state, as well as the failure of the authorities to curb illegal parking on streets, which lead to traffic snarls and caused inconvenience to pedestrians.

Speaking about the bad state of roads, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni informed the court that the traffic problems were mainly due to the pothole-ridden roads and the state had already suggested ways and means to address the issue to the BMC.  On the issue of illegal parking, the petitioner pointed out that apart from parking of private vehicles on the streets, many government vehicles, like garbage collections vans also being parked on roads. This was leading to constriction of the pliable roads. 

The petitioner also said that the parking bays that were in possession of the BMC were useless as the elevators there were not functioning thus defeating their very purpose. 

Appearing for the BMC, senior advocate Anil Sakhare informed the court that in all 82 lots were being constructed in different parts of the city and it would solve the illegal parking issue. 

After hearing the submissions, the court directed the BMC to submit the list of areas where these parking lots were coming up, and to ensure that the areas which faced the most problems of traffic and illegal parking were also covered.