Guest Column: Impose hefty parking fees to discourage use of pvt vehicles

Parking of vehicles has become a major issue and needs to be addressed on priority before things get out of hand. Instead of providing more parking spaces, the government should convert them into paid parking lots with a hefty fee to make sure people think twice before using their vehicles for travel in the city.

The more parking space is provided, the more vehicles you will see on the roads. If the government instead makes provision for parking at the TTMCs and bus depots, people will be able to park their vehicles at these places and take public transport.

These days even residential areas have vehicles parked on roadsides, leaving little space for traffic. The civic agencies are at fault as they have failed to implement the law that makes it mandatory for apartments and houses to have parking spaces for two-wheelers and four wheelers, before permitting their construction.

Sadly, people too often get their building plans approved with the parking space provided, but later use it for other purposes. They need to realise that they are contributing to the mess on the roads and make sure they follow the law.