Allahabad: Paid parking to bring back shoppers to SP Marg? Traders say yes

ALLAHABAD: Upset over how traffic police’s crackdown against illegal parking in the area has hampered their business, traders owning shops along Sardar Patel Marg in Civil Lines have urged authorities to start charging motorists for parking in the lane.
Shopkeepers in the area are not pleased with how the crackdown against illegally parked two-wheelers and four-wheelers is turning away customers from their shops. Shoppers, on the other hand, maintain that they had rather avoid going to these shops, than risk getting their vehicles towed away or being issued an e-challan.
President of Civil Lines Vyapaar Mandal Sushil Kharbanda said, “Ever since authorities started issuing e-challans for vehciles parked in front of our shops two months ago, our sales have slumped by 50% as customers avoid visiting our stores.”
He said as there was no service lane for parking on Sardar Patel Marg customers often used to park in front of shops. “Now they tend to avoid coming to our shops as traffic policemen issue e-challans if they see a vehicle parked in an unauthorised spot.”
Kharbanda said the shoppers visiting stores along Mahatama Gandhi (MG) Marg did not face the problem as the market had a separate service lane and finding a spot to park isn’t difficult.
Citizens said they were wary of visiting the market because of the lack of parking space, especially after 5pm.
Traffic police said they were aware of the problems faced by the shopper.
Traffic inspector RK Singh said, “We have allowed motorists to park along SP Marg’s third lane, provided it does not obstruct traffic.”
However, traders in the area are not impressed with the leeway granted to potential customers.
They suggested that traffic police should start charging visitors for parking their vehicles.
Kharbanda said the association had suggested authorities to introduce a system of ‘paid parking’ for the third lane, but the latter are yet to take any action. “Though, there were no challans issued in the past two or three days, but we need a more concrete plan.”
“If visitors are charged for parking and a contractor is roped in to manage the facility, not only will more people come to our shops, but it would also improve traffic movement in the third lane,” Kharbanda added.
“Since the past two months, many of my customers were served e-challans, so they stopped coming and it has affected my business. Three days back, when we raised our voice against the issue, police allowed visitors to park in the third lane, but customers are still cautious,” said the owner of a garment shop on SP Marg