Bhubaneswar: Unauthorised vehicle parking continues to choke major thoroughfares, causing significant traffic congestion and safety concerns for commuters.
Despite the presence of ‘no parking’ signs and the threat of Rs 1,000 fines, the road connecting Acharya Vihar Square and Sainik School has become a hotspot for illegal parking.
The situation is equally bad along the Cuttack-Puri Road, particularly between Rasulgarh Square and Kalpana Square, where unauthorized parking has significantly reduced road width, creating bottlenecks for traffic flow.
Badagada resident Atul Jena points out that numerous shops, especially automobile units along the Cuttack-Puri Road, lack parking facilities, forcing vehicles to occupy the road space. “The absence of proper parking provisions for these commercial establishments is the root cause of this,” he said.
The city’s major commercial hubs, Saheed Nagar and Bapuji Nagar, are also witnessing severe parking constraints. Despite having multi-level parking facilities, these areas continue to struggle as visitors avoid using these structures.
Jayant Mohanty, a Unit II resident, said that the distance between the parking facility and the market makes it impractical for shoppers. “Visiting Bapuji Nagar, if we use the multi-level car park facility, we will have to walk a long way and lose valuable time,” he said.
The situation has drawn criticism from residents who blame inadequate enforcement by city authorities. Patia resident Bikash Mohapatra said that the city’s growth wasn’t matched with corresponding parking infrastructure development.
City mayor Sulochana Das, however, assured that the administration is actively addressing the issue. “We are continuously identifying new parking locations and encouraging the use of multi-level parking facilities,” she said.
The mayor also mentioned ongoing enforcement measures, including vehicle towing operations. “We have already stationed two vehicle towing vehicles near the parking facilities at Saheed Nagar and Unit II,” said the mayor, adding that the enforcement will be intensified in the coming days.
Urban planner Piyush Rout said that there is an urgent need for better parking management in the city. “The city will continue to expand, and there is a challenge in accommodating the increasing vehicle numbers. It is time now to take steps,” he suggested.