Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil said, "We are going ahead with the policy....It was approved in the general body meeting." (File photo) DESPITE opposition from political parties and citizens, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has decided to go ahead with its pay and parking policy from today. The policy is being opposed by ruling BJP and the principal opposition NCP .
Municipal Commissioner csaid, “We are going ahead with the policy….It was approved in the general body meeting.”
The ruling BJP has strongly opposed the policy. In a letter to the Commissioner Patil, Raju Durge, general secretary of Pimpri-Chinchwad City District BJP unit, had registered the party’s stance on the issue. “The parking policy sought to be implemented by the civic administration will hit the common man hard. It is a completely wrong decision at a time when the COVID pandemic has made life miserable for the citizens,” Durge wrote.
Durge said in last two years, the citizens, shopkeepers, and traders have been struggling to survive.
“Many have lost their jobs, many have had to take big salaries cut. People are in a depressed state as their sources of income are drying up. When curfew is in place after 5 pm, what logic does it serve to implement a parking policy at this juncture? Implementing the parking policy by taking money from the people is therefore not an appropriate decision,” he said.
Durge alleged that the parking policy was nothing but an attempt to serve the contractors. “When the common man is finding it difficult to meet the ends, the civic administration seems to be bent on serving the contractors. We therefore strongly oppose the pay and park policy and urge the administration not to go ahead with it,” he said, alleging that the policy was anti-people and intended to harass the honest tax-paying citizens.
BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Mahesh Lange said,”We oppose the policy. It should not be implemented across the city. It should have been implemented in places where there was high commercial activity resulting in obstructions to smooth movement of traffic. Anyways, implementing the policy at this time of COVID pandemic is not appropriate.”
The opposition, NPC, however blamed the ruling BJP. NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Sanjog Waghere said,”Petrol prices have soared high and so has inflation. The common man is struggling to survive but the BJP-led PCMC has decided to further cause miseries to the citizens by asking them to pay for parking their vehicles. This has come at a time when the citizens are facing worst nightmare in the form of COVID pandemic. Instead of finding ways to bring relief to the citizens, the BJP-led PCMC is trying to loot the hapless lot.”
Waghere said the BJP led PCMC administration is seeking to implement the policy citing traffic indiscipline. “But where is the traffic indiscipline…Most of the time the city has been under a lock down and strict curbs. Even now, after 5 pm, there will be curfew. In such a situation, how will the traffic indiscipline problem arise?,” he asked.
Waghere said if the decision is not withdrawn, the NCP will take to the streets. “We will agitate till the parking policy is withdrawn,” he said.
Advocate Sachin Godambe said,”This is not correct time to implement the policy. PCMC should not burden the citizens who are already hard pressed to survive during this pandemic period.”
Activist Lahoo Landge said,”The policy should be implemented only when vehicular traffic has been allowed through the day. In the evening peak period, there will be no vehicles because of the curfew. Then why is being implemented.”
The policy is being implemented three years after it approved the parking policy for two-wheelers and four-wheelersm
Initially, the “pay and park” policy will be being implemented on 80 spots of 13 major roads across the industrial city.
It will be for the first time pay and park policy is being implemented in Pimpri-Chinchwad where vehicles until now are being parked indiscriminately on all roads, causing obstruction to smooth movement of vehicular traffic.
“From today, the pay and park policy will get rolling on 13 roads. The pay and park will be available on 80 spots. It will be implemented in coordination with the traffic police,” PCMC executive engineer Shrikant Savane saidm
The roads on which the parking policy would be implemented include Nigdi to Walhekarwadi, Aundh-Ravet Road, Old Pune-Mumbai highway, Kalewadi Phata to Dehu-Alandi, Nashik Phata to Moshi, Tilak Chowk to Big India Chowk, Nashik Phata-Wakad BRTS Road, Thergaon Gaothan Road, Prasundam Society Road, Telco Road, Spine Road and Prasudham Society Road.
For two-wheelers and three-wheelers, Rs 5 would be charged for per hour parking at the parking lots. Similarly, for Rs 10 would be charged for cars and tempos, Rs 25 for other light vehicles like mini buses. For private buses and heavy vehicles Rs 100 would be charged per hour parking.
Savane said these charges would be applicable 8 am to 11 pm. “However, during the night Rs 25 would be charged for per hour parking,” he said.
During the night time, trucks and private buses are seen parked on all major roads of the industrial city. Savane said,”The parking lots for trucks has been made at Walhekarwadi. Similarly, on Telco Road too heavy vehicles can be parked. Private buses will be parked at Kalewadi.”
Savane said they had surveyed the roads on which vehicles are haphazardly parked. “Accordingly, we decided to set up parking lots on this roads. Once the parking lots get rolling, we expect the traffic choas to ease on these roads,” he said.
Savane said in all three will be 450 spots on which parking lots will come up. “Initially, only 80 spots will be available for pay and park. In next six months, we will set up parking lots at all 450 spots. We will also increase the number of roads where more marking spots will come up,” he said.
Besides on street parking spots, PCMC has also made arrangements for off street parking. These parkings are under the flyovers. Prof Ramkrishna More auditorium Chinchwad, Late Anukashrao Landge auditorium, Bhosari, Royal Glory Society, Wakad, Rahatni, Bhakti-Shakti flyover, Nigdi, Empire Estate Flyover, Chinchwsd, Chapekar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar and Mudhukar Pawle flyover, Nigdi.
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