East Singhbhum district administration along with Jusco city-based utility services company and Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (the local urban body) on Friday carried survey to finalise six-paid parking slots spread at Sakchi market.
The survey which began this morning continued for more than an hour and identified parking spots on Sakchi Highway (in front of The Bengal Club), stretch in front of Jamshedpur Eye Hospital, stretch near Dalda line, stretch on Tank Road (near Tin Shed Market), stretch on Straight Mile Road (backside of Bhola Maharaj sweets) and the two basements at Super Center. “Parking is one of the major concerns in the Sakchi market area. We have been receiving complains and decided to take initiative. We were working on the idea of converting the vacant spaces cleared after the recent anti-encroachment drive carried out by district administration into parking slots and the survey was carried out to identify the slots. The parking spots would give respite to espcially during festive season,” said East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal.
According to sources, Jusco has been asked to earmark the parking slots with barricades and markers while Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has been directed by the deputy commissioners to auction through tender the different parking slots to private parties for maintenance and collection of parking fees. “It is a welcome move and will ease traffic rush at Sakchi market. We hope to start parking in these newly earmarked slots before mid-September. The rates will be at par with government rates as is being charged by JNAC,” said East Singhbhum additional deputy commissioner Sunil Kumar.
The existing rates charged by JNAC for two wheelers (bike) is `2, `5 for cars and `3 for auto-rickshaws and `1 for bicycle for each time of parking.
The move assumes significance as illegal parking along with encroachment was the main bottleneck for smooth commuting in the biggest market. “We want to streamline the traffic movement in the city. We are taking initiatives to vacate the illegal constructions so that the vehicles can move easily,” said an officer of Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee. He further said: “We earnestly urge the citizens, especially the city traders to use this space for parking their vehicles. We wish to develop more parking areas in an effort to regularise traffic and ensure safety on road.”
He said that the shop owners were asked to remove the encroached areas. Kadma, Bistupur, Sakchi and Jugsalai, which are the busiest areas of the town, over 50 fruit vendors and vegetable sellers have encroached the road and there are always a traffic jam as the fruit vendors have occupied one forth portion of the road, making difficult to move the heavy vehicles.