Admittedly, parking is not the only factor behind India’s substantial traffic challenges. Vehicle density – about 341 cars per km of narrow roads – is another factor, for example. However, the lack of alternatives to illegal street parking, the lack of parking authorities and enforcement of parking regulations, and the lack of regulations themselves is clearly contributing to a traffic crisis that must be dealt with.
“Motorists don’t take parking as a serious issue although there are terrible traffic jams all over cities in India - and one of the main causes is careless and illegal and extensive free single and double parking on roads,” says Ashok Datar, founder and chairman of Mumbai Environmental Social Network.
Datar says the demand for parking in India is way too high in relation to the supply of parking spaces on narrow roads with heavy round-the-clock traffic. Thousands of cars are parked illegally every day for hours in Mumbai, for example. It is common for cars and taxis to park just about anywhere – even blocking sidewalks, bus stops and the streets themselves.
“Poor driver training and lack of consideration to others in combination with absence of designated ‘on street’ parking spaces or ‘off street’ organized parking lots adds to chaos on Indian roads,” adds Dr Adhiraj Joglekar, founder of the website driving-india.blogspot.com.
“Due to lack of policies governing such issues, often it is unlikely to be deemed illegal to park recklessly,” he adds. “On the other hand, even in areas where parking is not allowed, illegal parking is common as law enforcement is poor.”
Indian government bodies, especially urban municipalities like the MCGM of Mumbai, must face the music: a cacophonous chorus of honking cars looking for a parking space.
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