This area has been a point of parking woes due to the ongoing Metro work at Sujata hotel traffic signal
The busy junction of Ranade Road outside Dadar station and its adjacent by-lanes have become a quagmire when it comes to access to road for heavy vehicles and ambulances. Ranade Road is the road that connects Dadar (W) railway station to the iconic Shivaji Park ground.
Dadar station, which runs both Central line and Western line trains, sees a footfall of 5 lakh people daily. Bearing an uncanny similarity to New Delhi's Karol Bagh, Dadar is also the street shopping destination for regular shoppers for buying things ranging from belt to bags. It is also a choice destination for wedding shopping. Many schools and hospitals connected to Ranade Road are also in a perilous situation due to the parking problem.
This area has been a point of parking woes due to the ongoing Metro work at Sujata hotel traffic signal, and a large number of hawkers who have occupied a large part of this important arterial road and adjoining by-lanes.
Shop owners in the lane informed DNA that the problem is more drastic in Chhabildas Road, which houses Chhabildas School. Kanti Gala who owns a shop in the neighbourhood alleges that hawkers park their motorcycles vertically instead of horizontally to lay their claim to four feet of the street to hawk their wares. "This ensures that cars don't park. However, cars park above and beyond this leaving barely any open space for other vehicles," says Gala.
Besides Chhabildas Road, Ranade Road also links to Shushrusha Hospital, access to which is severely crippled due to the metro work.
Ganesh Peth Lane, linking Ranade Road to NC Kelkar Road which is flanked by Star Mall on one end and the Shiv Sena headquarters on the other, has seen a spurt of high rises in the past few years with lesser parking space hat required, thus forcing vehicles to double park on these narrow cross roads.
"The influx of Ola, Uber drivers double parking on the roads adds another layer of chaos to already narrow and congested roads. People feel it is their right to double park. Police vehicles patrolling the area use microphones to move them. However, strict penalty should be in place and enforced," said Reza Irani, owner of Light of Bharat Café.
"We keep on informing the RTO about the problem We also take action on hawkers from time to time. But it is the RTO's responsibility to fix parking issues," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ashok Khairnar. However, when pressed further, he said, "We have apprised the RTO office about implementing odd and even scheme on the streets and by lanes of Dadar."
Residents, however, indicate that authorities should have a larger intervention in the problem rather than settling for quick fix and temporary solutions.
AREAS IMPACTED BY DOUBLE PARKING IN DADAR
Ranade road, Chabbildas school lane, R.K.Vaidya road, D.L. Vaidya road, Ganesh Peth lane
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 "Double Parking")
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