Residents flout parking rules, add to traffic woes

Traffic snarls within the internal roads in the city have left commuters in distress and residents are demanding action against the haphazard parking on the roads. With few parking spaces in the city, motorists park their vehicles on road sides and contribute to the traffic chaos.

The worst affected are the internal roads of the nodes which have become virtual parking zones. The haphazard parking on the internal roads leads to problems for school buses, ambulances, and autorickshaws.

Sectors 9, 10, 15 and 16 of Vashi, Sector 19 of Kopar Khairane and Mathadi residential colony roads face major traffic snarls. Airoli, Ghansoli, Sanpada and CBD Belapur too face similar problems.

“The narrow internal road leading to Ganesh Towers and other buildings in the area has vehicles parked on both the sides. The eateries along the road worsen the situation as crowd gathers outside these eateries,” said Mahesh Lal, a resident of Sector 1 in Vashi.

“Recently there was a fire in our building and the fire tender had great difficulty in reaching the spot. When it left, it hit a few parked vehicles in the road too,” said Lal.

At some places, people park their vehicles outside their colonies despite space being available within the complex. A few years ago Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) had banned parking outsides residential colonies.

“Despite the no-parking signboard on the road outside our complex, there are vehicles parked here. When we take our vehicles out, these parked vehicles block our view. This causes problem to residents,” said Venkat R, a resident of Sector 11, Kopar Khairane.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Arvind Salve said, “We have been taking action within the nodal areas regularly. Residents need be more disciplined and park their vehicles in a manner that does not cause problems.”