If commuters in Guntur dread driving on the narrow and pot-holed roads, the thought of parking is becoming a nightmare. Park your vehicle in front of a bank, school or a restaurant, chances are most likely that the vehicle would be lifted and taken to the traffic police station.
The cops come without warning and pick the vehicle and mount it on the van. The vehicles are paraded on the main roads before dumped in the traffic police station.
The police do not give any tags for violation of parking, which itself is a compoundable offence. According to the law, an officer of the rank of inspector has the power to issue tickets/tags. But here, a constable is enough to humiliate you and summon your vehicle to the station. The tag is then issued at the traffic police station by the inspector.
The cup of woes for the hapless man on the street is complete when he pays a penalty and collects his vehicle, often in a damaged condition.
Worse, the traffic cops pat their backs claiming that the enforcement drive against illegal parking is working wonders. The commuter breaks his back in retrieving his vehicle.
But there is also another side to the coin. Those driving along the Lakshmipuram Road would find that the road is being blatantly used as a parking bay by educational institutions. Buses of a corporate Intermediate college are parked throughout the day, eating into the road space and becoming a bottleneck in ensuring a smooth flow of traffic.
The traffic police, however, turn a blind eye to this violation for obvious reasons, but heap misery on the common man.
Senior officers, who chant the EEE (Education, Engineering and Enforcement) mantra at traffic awareness meet, should now look more carefully at the Engineering part.
The Guntur Municipal Corporation should be made to create parking spaces in places earmarked on the main roads. Construction of multi-level complexes in commercial areas should be taken up on priority basis. Staggered parking on the main roads should be allowed. For instance, parking could be allowed during hours when the flow of traffic is relatively thin.
