LAHORE: The city traffic police on Tuesday launched yet another drive against illegal parking lots and encroachments in the provincial metropolis as the previous campaigns could not streamline vehicular movement.

The city district government, traffic police and other respective organisations in repeated drives could not clear the busy roads from encroachments and illegal parking. A majority of the roads, sideways and footpaths at commercial centres remain chocked due to illegal parking and encroachments.

Most of the commercial centres of the city don’t have [proper] parking spaces while some of the shopkeepers are allegedly involved in encroachments as they rent out space outside their shop to vendors who sell edibles, fruits and other products as a result of which service lanes near plazas and roads are choked with traffic.

It merits mentioning that the government has sought help from the Turkish experts due to the growing traffic issues in the provincial capital.

Earlier, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had approved funds worth Rs100 million for upgrading the traffic system. He had also ordered the Lahore Parking Company to install rotary parking system in the city. The system reduces the space required for parking of cars. Rotary machines have been installed at some points and more would be erected at busy spots.

Talking to Dawn, a senior traffic police officer says illegal parking lots and work on Orange Line Metro Train Project have disrupted vehicular movement.

He says police had previously taken action against those involved in encroachments and illegal parking lots but the issue surfaced again due to lack of follow-up plan.

Meanwhile, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rai Ijaz Ahmad has taken notice of encroachments and illegal parking lots in the city. He has directed all traffic sector in-charges to form a squad in their respective areas to take action against parking lots and also impose fine on owners of vehicles.

He says [traffic] police have decided to conduct operation against illegal parking lots on The Mall, Jail Road, Multan, Hall, Ferozepur, Allama Iqbal roads and railway station on a daily basis.

“We hope such measures will resolve the issue once and for all,” he says.

The CTO says traffic police are introducing Shaheen Force for patrolling and they will take action against encroachments and illegal parking lots.

“We are conducting operation against vendors and illegal parking spaces after consulting traders to ensure smooth traffic flow.

He says the city traffic police have registered 654 cases against people involved in illegal parking and 155 against those who encroached upon space.

He says the Lahore Parking Company is authorised to set up [parking] lots and all other such spaces are illegal and “we will take action against them.”

“We will also serve notices on the market administrators for setting up illegal parking stands on roads,” the CTO says.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2017