There is some good news for road users and pedestrians but not for those who carelessly park their vehicles as roads soon will become “no parking” zones unless specifically earmarked either by the Mangaluru City Corporation or the Traffic Police as “parking zone”.
More worse for those parking vehicles at non-specified zones would be the deployment of towing vehicles — one each for four traffic police stations — to tow away unauthorisedly parked vehicles. The vehicle owner or driver would have to shell out ₹ 1,100 for a four-wheeler and ₹ 750 for a two-wheeler to get the vehicle released.
Disclosing this at an interaction with reporters during the Police Commissioner’s weekly phone-in programme, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Uma Prashanth said that no amount of widening of roads had helped solve traffic chaos. This was primarily because the widened portion of roads was being used to park vehicles now.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Manjunatha Shetty said that tenders would soon be floated to hire towing vehicles. Notification specifying the fine amount has already been issued, he said and expressed the hope that the move would deter haphazard parking of vehicles on roads that affects smooth vehicular movement.
The officers were responding after assuring a caller who complained about haphazard two-wheeler parking near Vaidyanatheshwara Dwara at the junction of Bajal Road on NH 66.
A caller from Malemar urged the police to arrange traffic divider for the newly formed ad hoc service road from Malemar Junction to Kottara Chowki on NH 66 that facilitates vehicles to move against traffic.
Complaint
A woman from Bondel complained that the conductor of a particular shuttle bus operating between State Bank and Kateel was highly abusive when passengers demanded tickets. Responding to this, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hanumantharaya assured her of strict action and later directed the police inspector concerned to warn the particular conductor.
Mangaladevi Junction
Responding to a caller to regulate parking of vehicles and vehicular movement at Mangaladevi Junction, Ms. Prashanth said that this would be attended to.
Meanwhile, Mr. Shetty told reporters that the bus shelter at Mangaladevi Junction would be shifted about 100 m further so that buses parked there did not obstruct vehicular movement.
Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association president Dilraj Alva said that Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mission has taken the initiative to shift the bus shelter as the road ahead is wide and can accommodate city buses. Canara Bus Operators Association president K. Rajavarma Ballal was present.
