Despite ban, truckers flout parking rules

Despite a prohibition imposed by the administration, trucks are entering the city during the daytime, adding to traffic jams. The authorities had banned the passage of trucks to the city from 8 am to 8 pm. Despite its claims to tighten the noose around those who violate traffic norms, traffic violations continue with impunity.

The parking of trucks on the main road and near the sports stadium has been banned by the administration. Still, the parking of trucks is going on unchecked in the city. Long queues of vehicles can be witnessed on busy roads.

A heavy vehicle is parked illegally on the Bathinda-Barnala road.

Parvinder Singh, in-charge, traffic police, said to check the rise in the number of accidents involving heavy vehicles, the movement of trucks was restricted. “The haphazard movement of heavy vehicles puts the lives of commuters to risk. Besides, it also hampers the movement of traffic. Keeping in mind traffic congestion on roads, the movement of heavy vehicles on different roads has been restricted to different time slots. If vehicles are found to be flouting traffic norms, we issue challans and take necessary action,” Parvinder said.

The traffic in-charge said in case residents noticed heavy vehicles parked by the roadside, they might inform the traffic police about it following which the department would take action against erring drivers.

“Besides causing chaos, illegally parked heavy vehicles block a large part of roads, thereby leading to traffic bottlenecks. The authorities seem to be least bothered about the problem. Despite orders, trucks and heavy vehicles can be seen parked near the Multipurpose Sports Stadium, the Multania flyover and the slip roads on the Bathinda-Barnala fourlaning project,” said city resident Sanjay Kumar.

“As per the rules, the plying of heavy vehicles in busy marketplaces is banned between 6 am and 10 pm, but a visit to Sadar Bazar and Sirki Bazar in the morning hours reveals that trucks are openly flouting the norms. Every morning till around 8 to 8.30, several trucks can be seen parked on the roads loading and unloading goods at the wholesale shops,” said Kishori lal, a resident of Mall Godam Road.

Bathinda Additional District Magistrate Dr Shena Aggarwal had recently issued ban orders to streamline traffic in the district. Reiterating the fact that the Improvement Trust, Bathinda, had set up Transport Nagar in the vicinity of the city to help private truck operators and truck unions park their vehicles here.

“It has been observed that during non-working hours truck operators park vehicles on streets or on roads, making areas vulnerable to accidents. Keeping in view the problem, the parking of trucks in streets and on roads has been strictly prohibited,” the magistrate noted, adding that the trucks could not be parked in any government or private property without business/receipt/truck operator’s receipt.

If any such vehicle is found parked in private or public area, action will be taken for violating these orders and the truck operator will also be challaned for wrong parking offence. Even if the truck driver as receipt/business receipt/ truck operator’s receipt, he can load /unload consignment only at the place for which the receipts have been issued, as per the guidelines.

Source: https://goo.gl/2nUeGT