| Guwahati | ||
May 22: Ulubari traders are up in arms against the creation of several no parking zones in the area by the metro administration and city police. The Ulubari Bazar Committee has convened a public meeting on the Shiva Mandir premises in Ulubari on Sunday to discuss the matter. It will consider a future courses of action, including taking legal recourse and resorting to agitation, against the creation of no parking zones without making alternative arrangements. Committee president Pabitra Lahkar told The Telegraph that the administration had virtually converted the entire Ulubari area into a no parking zone, leading to a drop in customer footfall and decline in trade. According to him, shops that used to earn Rs 5,000 a day were now drawing only Rs 500. “Soon after the serial blasts in October 30 last year, the administration prohibited parking below the flyovers, including the one at Ulubari. We did not oppose the move for security reasons. But the administration recently created several no parking zones in Ulubari area, including B. Borooah Road, B.K. Kakoti Road and Ashram Road. Parking in front of the Ulubari market has also been prohibited,” he said. The Ulubari market, which came into existence in 1963, is one of the oldest in the city. The market mostly caters to people from east Guwahati who buy vegetables, fish, meat and other requirements there. He said the no parking zones had been demarcated with ropes, thereby cramping road space and causing inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicle drivers. “We informed Kamrup (metro) district deputy commissioner Prateek Hajela about the problem on May 12. He assured us that steps would be taken to solve the problem within seven days,” Lahkar said. “But the situation remains the same and we are now forced to take action to save our business. If the administration does not do something immediately, the traders will resort to an agitation or move Gauhati High Court against the no parking zones,” he added. “East Guwahati MLA Robin Bordoloi, senior Congress leader Pankaj Bora and senior citizens of the area will participate in Sunday’s meeting,” Lahkar said. An official in the administration said a majority of the people who came to Ulubari for shopping used to park their vehicles below the flyover previously. “Since the ban on parking below the flyovers was effected by the chief minister’s office, the administration has nothing much to do. We are trying to create alternative arrangements for parking,” he added. |
Traders cry foul over parking curbs
Posted by
Sinlung
