Any road sides in crowded Imphal town are parking space for vehicles and Imphal Municipality Corporation (IMC) permits to collect parking fee to specific agent.
When talk about traffic control wing of the state police department remains as hot topic for every concern citizens of the state, Imphal Municipality Corporation has been providing permission to some specific NGOs for collection of parking fee. Proper regulation for parking of vehicles have also been not let known to the vehicle owners and those parking fee collectors allowed vehicles of any kind to park at any place disregarding of how much space of the road has to be restricted.
As of now, no official notification over the allocation of parking space at crowded Thangal Keithel, Paona Keithel, Keishampat area MG Avenue, Khwairambandh Keithel area, Nagamapal etc. has been let known to the general public through any medium. The Imphal Municipality Corporation allowed the agent to collect a sum of Rs.10 per hour for two wheeler vehicles, Rs.20 per hour for three and four wheeler vehicles, Rs.70 to 100 per hour for loaded vehicles and Rs. 30 for DI trucks. Such collection is done at any places of Imphal city and those agents said that they are authorized to collect parking fee by the IMC authority.
Traffic problems has been haunting Imphal city for the past many years and till now traffic police are blamed for the menace by critics. Much has been discussed and it has been put to the notice of concern government department many times.
It is true that the rise of vehicles is one problem for mismanagement of traffic regulation. Besides the government’s inability to provide proper equipments like electronic traffic signal systems, speed meters and man power is also another factor that create inconveniences to the general public. Above these few things VIP culture of parking anywhere, anytime at any places of the Imphal city is also another trouble face by the general public. These are few of the problems need to be stream line however the way that the IMC is allowing some agents to collect parking fees from any places of the Imphal city need to be check.
How could the IMC allow any place as parking space without properly discussing the matter by convening meeting of the Traffic Regulations & Parking Committee (TRPC)? It has been around 9 months that no meeting of the TRPC has been conducted then how the IMC permit parking at any space could.
Something seems to be not right to the way that some of the IMC authority are issuing permit for collection of parking fee. This needs to be seriously looked into by the present government. Or else the already deteriorated traffic system will turn into the worst.
On the other hand the IMC authority should also issue public notice on which areas are allotted as parking zone and how much space of the road is permitted for parking besides publishing of the name of the NGO or agents who are given permission for collection of parking fee.
Imphal Times Editorial
