Hyderabad: There are three major parking lots on Necklace Road – one opposite Sanjeevaiah Park, a HUDA-maintained space opposite People’s Plaza and adjacent Jal Vihar. Despite these, many visitors park their vehicles on the Necklace road.
The entire stretch from People’s Plaza beyond Eat Street is jam-packed with people visiting the ongoing mela there. Many try to avoid paying parking fees and parking on the road. HMDA says that the traffic police department should conduct a special drive and challan violators.
Mr Anurag Kumar, a recent visitor to Necklace Road, said, “Mostly two-wheeler riders park on the road; they spend time at the Tank Bund park. Those having cars halt near the food joints so that they don’t have to get down, or park. A person owning a Rs 20-lakh car does not want to spend rs 20 on parking. Similar to the ORR, enforcement vehicles must be deployed on Necklace Road too.”
Mr Swargam Srinivas, director of urban forestry, HMDA, said, “Most of the major joints have been allocated parking space, be it Eat Street, Peoples Plaza or near Sanjeevaiah Park. Yet vehicles occupy the road. The police is authorised to book them.”
Asked about the illegal parking, Hyderabad South deputy commissioner of police, traffic, A.V. Ranganath, held the stalls responsible for illegal parking.
“Necklace Road is a typical example wherein space is available yet people park on the roads. Organisers of People’s Plaza must employ staff, and have a layout plan to guard the parking areas so that everything is in order,” Mr Ranganath said.
“By just showing an open ground, the problem is not solved. Usually motorists park in a haphazard manner in spaces allocated for parking. In case someone needs to remove his/her vehicle, they have to wait till the line is cleared,” he said.
He said that organisers, instead of depending on enforcement agencies, should employ their own staff to oversee the parking arrangements. “The police is booking thousands for wrong parking, including those on Necklace Road,” Mr Ranganath told this newspaper.
