Over the past few days, a controversy has arisen over the Traffic Police towing cars away from around market areas in Vasant Vihar. It is pertinent to note that there are no signages prohibiting the parking of cars by the roadside around the market areas, nor are there any other parking/traffic caution signs. The residents have been parking their cars around market areas in the past since adequate space is not available inside the markets due to encroachment by unauthorized vendors. The residents are angry over the Traffic Police crackdown. “We should have been informed, if the parking rules have been changed,” say the residents. Some of the reactions of the residents received on WhatsApp are reproduced below:
Jyotsna Bhandari: Our car parked in front of A Block market on Vasant Marg was towed away by the Traffic Police this afternoon, while our driver had gone to the market to make some purchases. On asking the Traffic Police Inspector what our offence was, we were told that roads close to the markets are now in the no parking zone. Apparently, this has been put into effect only in the last 4 days. When my driver pointed out that there were no signages indicating ‘No Parking Zone’, he was told to go and check with our RWA. I wish a circular had been posted on the colony chats. We paid a fine for Rs 900 and underwent unnecessary stress.
Anil Jain: What about the C block market? Many cars are parked on all roads leading to this market. It is a big nuisance to get your car released from the police station.
Gurdeep Singh: It is completely irregular for the Traffic police to seek to substitute ‘No Parking’ signages, by notices/circulars from the VVWA or other RWA. This should be taken up most strongly with the Traffic Police by the VVWA and they be told that in the absence of proper signages, they must desist from such high handedness and from fining and harassing the residents by towing away their vehicles. I would have thought Delhi Police would instead clamp down on criminals, who have jeopardized the safety of residents by engaging in theft of cars and their parts.
Meera: It is also ridiculous that the police would say that no parking is being allowed in the “roads close to the markets!” Where are we supposed to park when going to the market? C Block market has inadequate and usually chaotic parking space, and all other markets have no usable parking lots. The E block parking lot is unusable as the police have happily allowed multiple Dhaba’s to come up under their watchful guidance.
Rekha Khosla: Absolutely…most arbitrary!
Alka Sheel: Absolutely! My car also got towed away a few days back from C block market. Where do we park our cars when we go to the market? A suggestion: Vehicles with Vasant Vihar stickers should not be towed like bikes having Zomato bags are also not picked.
Brig Harjeet Singh: Space around the defunct Bus stop is where the police target the cars parked. I have seen cranes active in that area many times. Solution is to discuss it with traffic police.
Bindra: Jyotsna ji, I am sorry about your experience, but we in VVWA have no such information from the traffic police. We shall check it out tomorrow with them.
I discussed the matter with VVWA President, Gurpreet Singh Bindra; he said that as soon as they received information, the matter was taken up with the Traffic Police. VVWA has suggested to the Traffic Police that they would like to discuss the entire issue, draw up a concrete traffic plan for all our markets and let the residents know, so that there will be total transparency and clarity
by Maj Gen (Retd) S P Murgai.
