AJIT KUMAR MOHANTY, OP
Puri: Illegal parking and encroachment are narrowing Grand Road in Puri, disrupting traffic along the important thoroughfare. Motorcycles, autorickshaws and buses are being parked indiscriminately on both sides of the road from the Srimandir to the Gundicha Temple, causing traffic congestion.
The road, which has National Highway status, is allegedly being encroached upon from both sides. Puri is one of the four major pilgrimage centres of Sanatana Dharma and has also established itself as a prominent tourist destination.
Thousands of visitors from across India and abroad arrive in the City every day to seek the blessings of the holy trinity and enjoy pristine beaches. The resulting tourist rush, coupled with local traffic, is putting immense pressure on Grand Road.
Several malls and other commercial establishments along the road do not have adequate dedicated parking facilities, forcing hundreds of vehicles to be parked illegally on the road.
Questions are being raised over the enforcement measures taken by the Puri Municipal Corporation. Residents have expressed resentment over the alleged lack of action by the authorities.
While street vendors have encroached upon one side of Grand Road, illegal parking on the other has further reduced the road space available for traffic.
Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said the parking problem would ease in the coming days as a large number of vehicles were being accommodated at the JBP PC parking facility. He said existing open parking spaces were also being expanded.
“Enforcement will be strengthened further, and action will be taken against vehicles parked illegally on Grand Road,” Parida said. He added that emphasis was being placed on basement parking.
Owners of malls have been asked to make arrangements for parking in their basement areas, he said.
Puri SP Prateek Singh said the festive season had begun and the police had made elaborate arrangements to manage the expected rush.
“The number of vehicles entering Puri is being monitored from time to time. Information about tourists staying in hotels is being collected, while data is also being obtained from the Railways,” Singh said.