mid day editorial: Wrong parking makes a bad problem worse

While the first-ever survey on parking in Mumbai showed how lack of civic planning has resulted in the city's parking woes, a Right to Information (RTI) response has revealed another aspect of the same issue.

The data shows that the offence that has bagged the maximum number of e-challans is parking in 'no parking' spots, with as many as 7.59 lakh motorists being booked for it between 2017 and 2019, and fined Rs 15.19 crore.

A report in this paper said that the 'no parking' offence is followed by jumping the signal and driving vehicles on no-entry roads. The data was shared by the traffic police in response to an RTI application demanding information about all offences for which e-challans have been issued in the city.

This shows the importance of putting our foot on the gas pedal in order to find solutions to the city's parking woes. While that is easier said than done, in a city where space is a huge constraint and vehicles are being added every single day, authorities need to keep trying to find parking space. There are a number of ideas on the table - pay and park facilities being a big part of the plans. These need to be well-thought-out and with an eye to making them work in the long run.

It is not just the authorities' onus though. There are drivers who park illegally just to escape paying for parking or simply to park closer to their destination. They need to change this. It won't do to simply shout about the parking crunch; that is just one side of the story.

There are no excuses for jumping signals. No entry lanes but have proper signage. Entering them is unforgivable and, frankly, quite dangerous. Traffic discipline is a two-way street. Blame the authorities for some problems, but let's look in the mirror and blame ourselves for the deteriorating situation too.

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