Natpac to devise roadside parking plan

Thiruvananthapuram: There may be critics who look down upon the act of city corporation to implement paid parking on both sides of main roads in the city. But, the latest assignment taken up by the National Transport Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) is to prepare a proper parking plan on main roads without disrupting the vehicular traffic.
Based on the directive of the city traffic police, the national highway wing of the public works department (PWD) has sent a letter to Natpac to conduct a detailed study into parking on city roads, mainly on the Kesavadasapuram-Pulimoodu stretch of MG Road. The traffic police are seeking a report on how designated parking slots could be introduced on road. At present, the city corporation has introduced paid parking facility on several stretches of MG Road, with wardens appointed to regulate parking and to collect fee.
Sources in Natpac said that they have received a letter from NH wing of PWD to conduct the study. The Natpac has submitted a detailed proposal and is awaiting a formal work order to launch the study, which they are planning to complete in two weeks.
Senior officials of the traffic police said that vehicular traffic was affected due to parking along major roads and they wanted to conduct a scientific study to check whether it could be regulated. “During rush hours, traffic is severely affected due to presence of parked vehicles. Natpac could study and suggest specific parking slots for each type of vehicle. Once we get a detailed report, it could be implemented in other areas too,” said an official. The official added that Natpac will be asked to find out alternative roads near the main road where parking can be facilitated in an easier manner.
Though traffic police wanted to cover the area from Kesavadasapuram to Pulimoodu, the letter sent to Natpac has suggested to cover the area from Pulimoodu till Plamoodu. However, traffic officials said that they wanted to cover the entire MG Road in the study.
Parking on city’s roads became controversial after PWD minister G Sudhakaran raised objections against paid parking by city corporation on PWD roads in July. The minister had stated that corporation was levying parking fee without the consent of PWD. Following this, mayor V K Prasanth conducted a meeting with the minister and decided to withdraw paid parking system on the Pulimoodu-VJT Hall stretch of MG Road where the secretariat, AG’s office and University College are situated.
An administrative committee of the city corporation headed by the then district collector Biju Prabhakar and city police had introduced paid paring system on MG Road in 2015. This system was extended to major stretches in the next four years.