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Mumbai gets its wardens for parking

Khar residents appoint private wardens to keep defaulters at bay, avoid double parking and a vehicular logjam

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The 17th road residents welfare association of Khar West in the Bandra locality have employed traffic wardens on a monthly salary to ensure that haphazard parking doesn't happen on the street. However, the remaining parts of Bandra and Khar continue to face the problem of narrow roads, a crunch of parking place near old buildings and ignorance towards traffic rules exposing them to a fire risk peril.

The tony area of Bandra-Khar has many homes who own 4-5 cars. This leads to many private cars using alleys and bylanes to park their cars. A shopping and a restaurant hub welcomes floating population from across the city with their cars. But lots of them and even local residents too don't bother to follow the traffic basic rules. "Traffic police have a crunch of manpower so we came up with the warden solution. Some people are still in no mood to act on warden request. We instructed wardens to sent car photos to traffic police. Police are ready to help with a crane," said Anandini Thakur, from Khar resident association.

Thakur explains that the problem in the area is going from bad to worst.

"St. Martins road in Bandra has an acute problem. The BMC's H west water department is situated in the compound next to the Baxter Cottage. Fire Brigade tankers have to go there to fill water at times of emergency. But this is such a narrow path and with cars parked on either side that fire brigade tanker cannot go past and created a problem," adds Anandini Thakur. But that's not the only problem with parking. Even residents near a school cannot enter or exit their homes at school time.

Activist and resident of Bandra Vidya Vaidya informed, "We stay near MET school which is on bandra reclamation road near Lilavati Hospital. After the school gets over, the parents come with their big vehicles and park them in front of Parijat, Kamalpushpa building's gate. We get blocked inside. Even a person can't walk through it, forget about vehicle movement. We requested parents as well as the school but nothing happened. We cannot imagine what will happen if a mishap occurs." Waroda Raod, Charcoal restaurant road, D'Monte street, Chinchpokli road, Reclamation, Bandstand roads near Lilavati Hospital, Hill road are the major roads where you find double parking in the area.

Most of the roads in Bandra and Khar are one way and even some roads available only for alternate day parking. But no one takes these seriously and that increases the problem.

Two years back the Bandra corporator and ex-deputy mayor Alka Kerkar had demanded to have footpath only on one side for roads below six meters so that cars will get more space for parking. But the demand had not approved sighting the centre government rules.

"Every time fire incidents happen, the civic body comes with some numbers of inspection. But what do they really do to solve an issue?" questioned Asif Zakaria, Bandra corporator.

He added, "There are so many roof top restaurants, basements converted into a commercial establishment, malls are using their basement for other purposes in Bandra. No one looking into it. They have given permission for 20-floor building on 6-meter wide road. No one is really bothered."

Traffic police also admit that the problem has reached mammoth proportions and needs immediate redressal.

"We need more public parking spaces in Bandra. BMC has provided one on hill road. So we asked people to park their car inside, otherwise, we charge fine. There are parking problems on Link road, S. V. Road too, but the whole area is a shopping paradise and people need parking space, "said Nitin Patil, a senior traffic police inspector.

He adds that the Warden solution needs to be emulated by others in the area.

DOUBLE PARKING A SERIOUS PROBLEM

Despite wide roads, bandra & khar residents suffer due to haphazard parking & bottleneck situations

REDEVELOPMENT A SOLUTION: RESIDENT

Redevelopment is a solution. But the societies are small and they can’t go for individual redevelopment. There has to be a cluster development with ample space for parking. That will increase the road width too. But people have to come together
Vidya Vaidya, Bandra resident

‘MANY MALLS ALSO MISUSE BASEMENT’

There are so many rooftop restaurants and basements converted into commercial establishments. Even the malls are using their basements for other purposes in Bandra. 
Asif Zakaria, local corporator

‘EVEN TRAFFIC COPS FACE PROBLEMS’

We faced severe problems in this area especially because of the parking. The cars are double-parked everywhere and even the traffic cops are not able to reach immediately. We can’t even fill our vehicle tankers due to double parking near the lane at the station
Prabhat Rahangdale, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade

‘WE ARE WOKEN UP AT 4 IN MORNING’

We stay on the lane of St. Martin road which goes to the water department of BMC. The fire department fills water from here. They even call me in the early hours like 4 or 5 am to clear the roads
Mani Patel, Bandra resident

ROADS WITH PARKING WOES

Waroda Road, Charcoal restaurant road, D’Monte street, Chinchpokli road, Reclamation, Bandstand roads near Lilavati Hospital, Hill road, Link road, SV Road, and the 17th and the 18th roads of Khar

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