Car dealers fined for parking vehicles on roads in W Delhi
In a bid to help pedestrians reclaim right of way, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday fined car dealers for parking vehicles on the roads and pavements in West Delhi.
Following the orders of the National Green Tribunal and the Lieutenant General, the west zone of the SDMC initiated the anti- encroachment drive and targeted car dealers who park vehicles along arterial roads or on footpaths, obstructing the movement of pedestrians.
Senior officials said the drive was specifically aimed against car dealers and mechanics who encroach on main roads and footpaths, leaving pedestrians exposed to moving traffic.
“We had received several complaints from pedestrians about car dealers who were encroaching footpaths and roads. After conducting a survey and identifying the worstaffected areas, a raid was conducted on Friday. We challaned 27 cars,” said KK Dahiya, deputy commissioner, west zone.
Dahiya said parking cars on Delhi’s footpaths can attract fines equivalent to the weight of the vehicle seized. “Initially we had targeted outer ring road area near Vikaspuri. We plan to conduct similar raids in other areas of the city in the coming week,” Dahiya said.
The g reen cour t had in January this year directed the traffic police, SHOs and municipal bodies to stop parking of cars on metalled roads. The court had directed the municipal corporations to take strict action against people who violated the orders, including a fine of ` 1,000 per car.
Senior leaders of the SDMC said action should be taken to ensure pedestrian safety. “We displace the poor vendors and hawkers to make way for pedestrians but we fail to take action against such businessmen who despite having means encroach on public land,” said Ashish Sood, leader of the house, SDMC. The Lieutenant Governor had also recently ordered the clearing of footpaths.