Hyderabad: Visitors to the Rythu Bazaar at Falaknuma are spending more money on traffic penalties than on vegetables at the market. The reason for this being that there is inadequate parking at the vegetable market, forcing people to park their vehicles in an adjoining sub road from where traffic police take away the vehicles.
Mohd Shareef, a 65-year-old man, was the latest victim of the official apathy. “As there was no space at the parking area of the vegetable market, I parked my two-wheeler at an adjoining spot next to the Falaknuma Traffic police station. A constable towed away my vehicle and when I enquired, told me that it was parked in a no parking zone. How can a 10 feet wide stretch be declared a ‘No Parking’ area,” he lamented.
The two-wheeler was released after a senior police official came was informed about the plight of the elderly man. Another visitor to the market, Syed Shahnawaz, explained that the parking at the vegetable market is very small and there is no space for any person to park their cars.
“There is no parking space available around the market as it is located on a busy thoroughfare. When we park the two-wheelers or cars in adjoining sub roads or somewhere on the main road, the traffic police personnel tow away the vehicles. The traffic police station is next to the Rythu Bazaar,” he said.
About 200 stalls function in the vegetable market and about 8,000 people visit the market every day. The numbers are higher on Sundays.
Mohd Mujeeb, estate officer, Rythu Bazaar Falaknuma said around 50 two-wheelers can be accommodated in the parking space at the bazaar. “I have written to the higher authorities about the problem regarding parking of vehicles and suggested that an underground parking be constructed. We have also told the traffic police officials to identify some places for parking of vehicles,” he said.
