Kandivli residents start a blog to protest against illegal parking...........Vijay Malepu  Kandivli

 

KANDIVLI East residents have launched a campaign against illegal parking of trucks, tractors and buses in their locality. One of the residents has created a blog (an abridged term for web log, usually maintained by an individual) alleging that they largely belong to Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the automobile company.

The heavy vehicles are parked on Akurli Road, the stretch that connects Kandivli Station East and the Western Express Highway to Lokhandwala Complex. The saveakurliroad.blogspot.com lays the blame squarely at the doorstep of the automobile major.

"Why aren't the traffic police initiating any action?" questioned U.H. Dalvai (79), a retired government employee and resident of Riviera Tower, Lokhandwala Complex.

"No matter whom the vehicles belong to, they can not be parked on this road indefinitely," he said.

When this correspondent visited the spot recently, he saw at least 50 trucks, tractors and buses occupying one-third of the road, obstructing the flow of traffic during peak hours. While the trucks and tractors are used to transport various vehicle equipments, the buses, belonging to private contractors, are hired by the company for picking and dropping its employees.

When asked, Shivaji Jagdale, Senior Security Officer of the company, who deals with vehicle parking, said that they had enough space inside the company premises. "But the laying of paver blocks and ongoing drainage work on the stretch leading to the parking lot inside had forced them to park the vehicles outside. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has told us not ply heavy vehicles on this route since work was on.

"Once work is over, we will ensure that not a single vehicle is seen on Akurli Road," he assured.

Senior Traffic Police Inspector, Borivli, Pradeep Gosavi said that they had been penalising the vehicle drivers. "But the problem can be resolved once the work is complete," he explained.

V. Shankarwar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of R (South) civic ward said that he would ensure that the road is completed as soon as possible.

URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=30_05_2008_006_005&typ=0&pub=264