IMPHAL, Sep 7: Although Transport Department has not said anything about allotment of parking spaces on either side of roads connected to MG Avenue, vehicles are parked in multiple rows on either side of these roads under different arrangements made by IMC, City Police and Traffic Control Police (TCP).
There is a strong suspicion that IMC, TCP and City Police have been charging money on daily or monthly basis for allotment of parking spaces along these roads.
Based on a Cabinet decision adopted on November 28, 2015 to prohibit parking of any types of vehicles within Kwairamband Keithel, the Transport Department issued an order on December 26, 2015 but the order could not be implemented on ground.
Perhaps, IMC, City Police and TCP are one major factor for the inability to implement the Transport Department’s order. Possibly, IMC, City Police and TCP have been overlooking the Transport Department’s order as they have been earning revenue by allotting parking spaces along the congested roads of MG Avenue.
An independent survey conducted by The Sangai Express has revealed that auto-rickshaws (petrol) parked in front of New Airlines Hotel, PC Jain, Jalal Provisions, right side of City Police station and opposite to OK Hotel have been paying money to the authorities every month.
They have been paying Rs 120 each per month.
However, when the road become too congested, the auto-rickshaws are driven away. IMC has been collecting revenue on daily basis from the vehicles parked along MG Avenue. But it was not clear how much revenue they could earn in a day.
One security personnel of NEISS who has been looking after the parking space said that they pay Rs 450 to Rs 500 to IMC out of Rs 1000 earned in a day from parking fees.
Luxury cars parking along Thangal Keithel road and other roads of MG Avenue are also charged parking fees on monthly basis.
Shopkeepers and salesmen have been freely parking different vehicles in front of their respective shops throughout the day as they have been paying Rs 150 to Rs 400 per month per vehicle. Sharing his views on the ongoing campaign of The Sangai Express about traffic congestion and traffic management in Imphal city, one Chingkhei of Lamlai Napetpalli suggested that traffic congestion in Imphal city can be reduced considerably if all private establishments and educational institutes located within the city limits are directed to create their own parking spaces compulsorily.
He further suggested construction of subways and footbridges in order to facilitate crossing of roads from one side to another.
