Hundreds of vehicle users in the city have been put to hardship after a busy stretch of MG Road between Pulimoodu and Ayurveda College has been abruptly turned into a no-parking zone by the police since Monday.
Sources in the civic body said police officials had overstepped their limits by arbitrarily dismantling the paid parking system in the commercial hub. Mayor V.K. Prasanth said the parking zone was demarcated on the basis of a decision by the Corporation-level traffic advisory committee comprising senior police officials. “It will require a decision by the same panel to revoke the system,” R. Satheesh Kumar, chairman, Town Planning standing committee, said.
The paid parking system was implemented last year as part of a project to streamline traffic flow and do away with illegal parking. The police had also announced plans to develop the stretch as a model road.
“The system had proved to be effective in easing the congestion on the stretch. Of the annual collection of Rs.6.5 lakh as parking fee, Rs.4.5 lakh was paid as wages to traffic wardens. There was no reason to dismantle the system,” Mr. Satheeshkumar said. Traders allege that the decision to impose parking curbs followed a dispute between a section of policemen and a shop owner over the payment for purchase.
