Banning parking of vehicles : Government's quixotic decision
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 04 2016 -

It is a quixotic decision. Not surprising that such a decision has come from the State Government.

Ban is not the answer but obviously this fact has blown over the head of the Government.

Two days now since shopkeepers at Thangal Keithel and Paona Keithel have downed shutters to protest the decision of the Government to make these two market places no parking zones.

The dilemma of the Government is understood but a ban on parking is not the answer to address the growing traffic at these two market places and the adjoining areas.

No one goes for a leisurely ride through the commercial centres of Imphal and no one will.

This should mean that it is with a definite purpose why numerous people make a beeline for the commercial centres daily which is shopping.

And shopping can mean carrying heavy things.

Now that the Government has come up with the grand plan of the no parking zones rule, the natural question that follows is, has the Government come up with some other optional spaces where the vehicles of the shoppers may be parked ?

How about the vehicles of the shop owners and the numerous employees who work at these shops ?

So far the Government has not specified any place where vehicles of shoppers, shop owners and employees may be parked and this is where the no parking policy of the Government falls flat on its face.

A more than enough indication that no homework has been done before the Government came out with such a grand announcement.

This is not how decisions should be taken to address the growing traffic in the commercial areas of Imphal.

That the Government is clueless when it comes to addressing this issue can be gauged from the fact that a grand shopping complex is set to come up at the ground of the erstwhile Tombisana High School.

Does this shopping complex have any parking slot identified ?

Why not make the vacant place a parking lot for the shop owners, the employees and the shoppers who come to the commercial centres daily ?

Moreover why not try to expand Imphal horizontally ?

Why should everything be concentrated at Thangal Keithel, Paona Keithel, BT Road, Nagamapal and the adjoining areas ?

Why not try to spread out the commercial areas of Imphal ? Moreover why not consult experts from outside the State on how to address the issue ?

Why not experiment with the idea of setting a time frame for shoppers to park their vehicles at the commercial areas ?

The Government needs to put on its thinking cap and look beyond bans and bans.

Why not specify some vacant places beyond the existing commercial areas for shops selling specific goods to come up.

Adhocism is certainly not the desired approach to deal with the growing traffic volume at the commercial areas of Imphal.