Two weeks after crackdown, illegal parking returns at Metro stations

LUCKNOW: Illegal parking is back at Metro stations, just two weeks after Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) and traffic police cracked down on it after TOI reports highlighted the issue.

In a reality check, TOI found visitors’ vehicles, autorickshaws and tempos parked haphazardly outside several Metro stations. The absence of any traffic cop made it more convenient for people to flout the rules.

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The start of Metro service might have reduced number of vehicles plying on the road, but illegal parking outside stations have become a new source for traffic congestion. Instead of remaining a mute spectator, traffic cops need to crack down on autos and e-rickshaws flocking outside stations and citizens parking vehicles on roadside. More parking space at stations and start of feeder services can help in solving the problem.

LMRC has provided parking facility at 14 out of 21 stations. The seven stations left out are Charbagh, Lekhraj, Singarnagar, Indiranagar Hussainganj, Sachivalya and Hazratganj.

The absence of traffic cop made it more convenient for people to flout the rules


Lekhraj station records heavy footfall during office hours on weekdays. As many commuters park their vehicles outside the station, chaos is rampant here.

Jagjeet Singh, a commuter at Lekhraj, said, “The situation here always remain the same: many vehicles remain parked outside the station leaving no space for commuters.”

A similar situation prevails at Indiranagar station. Bhupendra Verma, a commuter at Indiranagar station, said, “Police are making no effort to crack down on illegal parking despite commuters facing inconvenience daily.”

At Charbagh Metro station, TOI found public autos and e-rickshaws parked in the middle of the road, blocking entry to the station as well as leading to traffic snarls. Singarnagar Metro station, too, sees chaos during evening hours. Despite frequent snarls and problems faced by Metro users, both LMRC and traffic police have failed to address the issue. The drives were carried out only for a few days but now the situation is back to square one.

An official in LMRC said, “Some guards are always stationed at Metro stations to check people from parking vehicles in unauthorised slots near the station compound. However, it is the responsibility of traffic police to remove illegally parked vehicles outside the stations. We will help if they ask for our assistance.” ASP (traffic) Abhishek Verma told TOI that they will hold a meeting with Metro officials to frame a plan to end the menace of of illegally parked vehicles near Metro stations.