Responding to it, the Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police Wednesday told a bench of justices G S Sistani and Jyoti Singh that they were proposing to implement the court's order in other prominent markets
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The Delhi Police on Wednesday told the High Court that it was planning to implement the court's earlier order of banning loading and unloading of goods in Karol Bagh market during the day in 13 other markets of the national capital as well to decongest the city.
The court, which had disallowed unloading of goods between 11 AM and 8 PM in Karol Bagh market area and had asked the police not to allow illegal parking, gave an interim relaxation between 11 AM to 12:30 PM on the loading-unloading restrictions after traders pleaded on Wednesday that they were suffering losses due to the court's October 29 order. Earlier, the court had asked authorities to come out with a plan on how to replicate the directions for Karol Bagh in all market areas in the national capital. Responding to it, the Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police Wednesday told a bench of justices G S Sistani and Jyoti Singh that they were proposing to implement the court's order in other prominent markets.
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Besides Karol Bagh, the other markets identified on the basis of foot fall and traffic congestion are Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Rajouri Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Kamla Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Green Park, Yusuf Sarai, Mahipalpur, Tilak Nagar and Dwarka's sector 10 main market. Several traders of Karol Bagh market approached the court Wednesday saying that they were facing difficulties and their business has gone down as wholesalers who used to buy goods from them have shifted to other markets due to the October 29 order. Advocate Sanjeev Ralli, representing the Karol Bagh Market Association, urged the court to relax the timing for loading/unloading of goods and said the traders were wiling to give an undertaking that footpaths will not be used for such activities.
Advocate Satyajit Sarna, appearing for petitioner Neena Narang who had approached the court regarding problems caused by illegal parking, opposed the plea to allow loading and unloading of goods during the day time. He said if the court allowed a relaxation of a few hours, it will congest the area even more. The court was hearing a petition filed by Narang, a resident of the area, regarding problems created by parking of vehicles in almost three out of four lanes in one direction on the roads in Karol Bagh, leaving only a single lane for movement of traffic.
As an interim measure, the court on Wednesday allowed the traders to load/ unload the goods even during day time between 11 AM to 12:30 PM. During the hearing, the bench observed, "Nowhere in the world you will see that one lane is used for vehicle movement and three lanes are used for parking." It added that "we have reached a saturation point. We have nothing against you (traders). Just don't block the road and traffic.... We don't want 100 families to be unhappy. We are asking for change in culture."
Taking note of the condition of traffic in the entire Delhi, the court had on October 29 asked the Joint Commissioner (traffic) to submit a report as to how the Delhi Police proposes to regulate the traffic and curb the menace of illegal parking and traffic violations. The court had warned that any violation would lead to strict action and directed the SHO concerned, DCP (central), ACP of Karol Bagh zone and DCP (traffic) to ensure that no loading and unloading of goods would be permitted between 11 AM and 8 PM in Karol Bagh market area.
The bench had said in case of any violation, disciplinary action will be taken against officers and the court would be "forced" to initiate contempt proceedings against the shopkeepers as they were represented in the hearings. The court had asked the MCD to inform parking contractors to stop parking beyond a single lane in Karol Bagh, and in case vehicles were allowed to be parked illegally, the agreement would be cancelled following the due process. The petitioner had earlier shown some photographs to the court to illustrate the terrible situation and the fact that the pavements were being used for parking vehicles and unloading goods.
Even the dealers of motorcycles had parked the vehicles meant for sale on almost 3/4th of the road, it had said. The petition had complained about the traffic chaos due to unauthorised parking and widespread encroachment by local shopkeepers. It had also alleged that shops and godown owners in the area have trucks and commercial vehicles parked on the street for loading and unloading of goods at all times of the day despite specific orders from various authorities, including the National Green Tribunal.
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