Market congestion: LPC seeks power to issue parking tickets

There have been several traffic jams at shopping areas and eateries, particularly at iftar time, in Ramazan. MM Alam Road, Noor Jahan Road and the service lanes at The Mall, Gulberg’s Main Boulevard, Neela Gumbad Road, Jamaluddin Afghani Road, Temple Road and Model Town Link Road have all suffered traffic jams because of cars parked in areas where they are not allowed, or because vehicles are double-parked.

LPC officials say that the company currently has no power to issue tickets for parking violations. Managing Director Usman Qayyum said that they were working on a draft to add to the bylaws that would allow its inspectors to issue tickets for wrongly parked vehicles.

However, he said that they were allowing double-parking in some areas. “Given the load of vehicles, we have to allow it,” he said.

Chief Traffic Officer Sohail Chaudhry said that only the police could issue tickets and the power could not be given to the LPC. He said that the traffic police was conducting a campaign against parking violations and lodging FIRs against offenders. He said that the traffic police would deploy more wardens around markets from Ramazan 15 onwards to address the added load problem.

Another cause of traffic congestion at markets is vehicles entering parking areas, finding no empty space there and causing queues. The LPC managing director said that they were planning to put up an LED board at Hussain Chowk and Liberty to inform motorists if there are parking spaces available inside. The motorists would not then have to go inside and clog up the space. “For instance, if the Liberty parking is full, they will be advised to try the Park and Ride Plaza,” he said, adding that they would also increase the number of staff at parking areas to facilitate quick exits and entrances.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2013.