Walking On Footpaths A Nightmare Now Say Residents

February 26, 2018

Pavement parking has fast become a major menace in the Kondhwa, NIBM, Salunke Vihar and Wanorie areas of the city. People blatantly park on the footpaths of the already traffic-clogged roads in these areas, endangering the life of citizens there.

Residents of these areas are left with no option but to walk on the road encountering heavy traffic instead of using the footpaths which are rightfully for their use. Repeated complaints have fallen on deaf years.

Pune365 spoke to residents in the area for their views and concerns:

“Parking on the footpaths and pedestrian walkways is actually a serious issue.

The other day while I was at my café and somebody parked an SUV on the footpath just opposite to it. An old lady who was walking on the pavement had a tough time negotiating this walkway as there was no enough space to pass. She then had to take the busy road, which at that hour wasn’t safe.

I think the government should really work on this and make the roads broader or should make parking grounds” opines, Mohammad Nikniyat, a resident here.

“I reside off Salunke Vihar Road and it a daily nightmare for me, because the footpath has scooters, SUVs and other vehicles parked there,” says Govind Perndharkar, an engineer by profession.

First, they felled several trees in the area, a senseless act what with, Pune’s depleting green cover. Then they came and destroyed shops which were encroaching the government areas.Yet, they do nothing about this trend of parking on footpaths.

This is now a growing menace all over the city. I blame people who own vehicles too. They are too impatient, arrogant and are absolutely insensitive to others. It is disgusting and there is no option for citizens, until the next civic elections,” he added.

Shon Bob, another resident says,“If people consider a footpath important and meant to be there for a specific purpose, there will be no problem. People are in such a hurry these days, that pavement parking is an easy option for them.

As they say, haste makes waste and this is the reason accidents are increasing as the roads are getting narrower. People who really wish to walk, face major problems.

Also, when more people walk on roads there are frequent traffic jams. If everyone follows rules, everything will be sorted,” he adds.

Mohiddin Mulani, an aggrieved resident says, “ Kondwa is facing a severe pavement parking problem. It really affects all, including students and office goers while they commute. The traffic police should seriously look over this problems because towing isn’t a permanent solution.

They should also limit the speed of vehicles, till they come to a solution for this as for people walking, it’s really risky”.

Harsh Purohit says,” I am a fitness freak and I like jogging early in the morning and evening, but the footpaths no longer exist. They rather be called paid parking areas because this is what they have turned into.

The government or private builders should make a huge area for parking while constructing a building and should have sensible parking rules too.”