Police declare 18 spots of Dhantoli as ‘no parking zones’ on pilot basis

Acting on the stern directives issued by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, the Nagpur Police on Friday notified 18 major overcrowded spots in Dhantoli area as ‘no parking zone’ and permitted only one way vehicular traffic movement in three lanes in an effort to minimise parking chaos and traffic congestion. This decision is on a pilot basis for one month and after assessing the impact and suggestion from citizens, same will be modified. 

However, in absence of notified parking space for vehicles coming to Dhantoli area and non availability of a large open space and inability to utilise a major ground like one besides Indian Gymkhana, the proposed move of Traffic Police is likely to lead to major inconvenience to citizens. 

Most of the lanes and by-lanes of Dhantoli have hospital and healthcare establishments where thousands throng every day. Resultantly, the stationary vehicles parked in entire area, has made life miserable for residents and traffic comes to a grinding halt whenever a four-wheeler try to pass from any of the lane with hospital, since both sides are occupied by parked vehicle, leaving very little space for vehicular movement. 

A press release of Nagpur Police Commissionerate informed that the decision has been taken on the lines of directives issued by the High Court on January 19, 2017. 

Giving last chance to Traffic Police and Nagpur Municipal Corporation to tackle the menace of parking in Dhantoli area and commercial use of earmarked parking space by hospitals, Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on January 19 had directed authorities to constitute special squad to tackle parking mess in prime Dhantoli area, clear unauthorised construction from earmarked parking spaces and submit a compliance report in February. 

“Once upon a time, Dhantoli was the purely residential area. However, commercial activity increased with the time which is creating traffic chaos in the area,” the press release stated. 

A division bench consisting of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Atul Chandurkar while hearing a PIL filed by Dhantoli Nagarik Mandal about worsening parking and problems created due to large number of healthcare establishments permitted in every lane and by-lane of Dhantoli, had noted that the “parking rules are followed only in breach”. Despite alternate parking scheme notified, photographs placed on record indicated that parking of vehicles was done on both sides of the road and even abutting the 'No Parking' Board. In many cases, the earmarked parking space is being used for other purposes like waiting room, generator room or to run pharmacy by hospitals, thus putting extra burden on off-street parking. Mandal had also informed about a plan prepared by NGO Janakrosh to tackle the worsening traffic and parking mess in Dhantoli area which has become overcrowded due to concentration of a large number of hospitals. 

Expressing anguish over this brazen violation, the High Court had directed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) and the Assistant Commissioner/Ward Officer of Dhantoli Zone to sit together and prepare a comprehensive plan for finding out solution to the parking problem in Dhantoli. They were asked to consider the proposal to declare one ways in the lanes of Dhantoli and providing parking on one side of the road on odd and even dates.

The court had also directed DCP (traffic) to deploy a Special Squad for Dhantoli area as a pilot project to toe away the vehicles which are parked on the areas prohibited for parking.

The order also directed NMC to take a stern action against the owners of the structures wherein the area which is sanctioned for parking is being utilized for other purposes than parking including the waiting rooms etc.

A joint team of Police and Nagpur Municipal Corporation have conducted a special drive between January 20 and 25 in the area and many vehicles were penalised for illegal parking. However, the problem of traffic congestion was not solved despite of the drive. 

· Both sides of Rajkamal Apartment to Gorakshan Compound (Adjacent lane to Wardha Road)

· Sunil Paan Mandir to Aarti Provision (Baheti clinic) between 10 am to 7 pm

· Bharuka Bhavan to Dr. Pendse corner 

· Neuron Hospital to Adv. Lala Bhavan (for distance of 50 metres from both points)

· Bhivapurkar chambers to Dhantoli garden T-point 

· Mishra House to Swakshi Apartment (for distance of 50 metres from both points)

· Shrikrishna Hospital to Congress Nagar (till main road)

· Dr. Amul Mahajan to Rolca Hotel 

· Dr. Dhobale to Vijayanand Society 

· Neuron Hospital to Lokmat Square

· LIC building to Gokhale House 

· Gokhale House to Amarjyoti Apartment 

· HP Gas Godown to Congress Nagar (Four wheelers parking prohibited)

· Patrakar Bhavan to Mehadia square (No parking at Patrakar Bhavan’s side)

· Mehadia square to Rajkamal Apartment (Single lane parking for two wheelers)

· Dhantoli garden (Single lane parking for four wheelers at North-South and West side of the garden)

· Mehadia square to Home guard T-point 

· Aruna Palace to Vitthal Apartment 

· Mehadia square to Home guard office (single lane parking for two wheelers at Eastern side)

· Lokmat square to Amarjyoti building lane 

One way traffic 

· One way traffic movement from Sarafa court building to SIHO Hospital (no parking for vehicles)

· One way traffic movement from Warambhe Hospital to Silver Palace (no parking for vehicles)

· One way traffic movement from Rajkamal complex to Amarjyoti complex (no parking for vehicle)

Don’t violate rules, warns DCP traffic

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Traffic, Ravindrasingh Pardeshi informed The Hitavada that the notification is on experimental basis for a month. “Citizens can approach the office of DCP traffic and put their suggestions and comment over the system. The notification will be modified after studying the suggestions,” he said. “A special squad of traffic police will be deployed to penalise the law violators,” he added.