Gobbled up parking space for nearly 30,000 cars freed

SURAT: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started a major drive to remove encroachments from footpaths and open up closed parking spaces in properties in the city. SMC had started the campaign on February 15.
So far, the civic body’s teams have visited 60 properties and opened up 1 lakh square feet of closed parking area and removed encroachments from 30,800 square feet of footpaths along eight roads excluding Chauta Bazaar.
Municipal commissioner M Thennarasan told TOI, “We had issued a public notice in newspapers in which people were asked to open up their parking spaces according to the building plans. If they don’t comply, they will be charged double the penalty. We are forced to take this step because of prevailing traffic situation in the city.”
SMC officials said textile markets have been asked to ensure loading and unloading of goods take place in their private spaces and not in the congested market area. Private party plot owners have been told to create sufficient parking immediately, else their plots will be closed. Private party plots allow marriages and other functions even when they don’t have parking facilities. People choose to park their vehicles on roads and this leads to chaos, the civic officials said, adding that same is the case with an estimated 1,200 plus commercial and high-rise buildings in the city where the parking space has been usurped.
“We have issued notices to party plot owners. They have been asked to create parking space in their plots within 15 days or shut them immediately,” an SMC officer said.
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India