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Hijacking of Parking Space
Sakshi Juneja
Mumbaikars crying and practically banging their heads day-in-day-out over parking space is nothing new. It has in many ways become a regular part of our daily lives, but then again there is always a saturation point. And therefore I have decided to write a post about the daily parking space trauma at my workplace.
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Hijacked by contract buses |
So after wrestling with the rickshawallas (they can be such a pain in the ass), tempos, BEST buses, trucks, cars and humans, I reach my destination with my head already fucked-up for the day. But then this is not it, a-sight-for-sore-eyes greets me just outside my office building. My whole street is perpetually choked with contract buses. There is barely any space for cars to go thru from both ends. These contract buses are for staff pick-ups and drop-offs. Forget about buses (because of their big size) taking up parking spaces for at least 2-3 cars, most of these contract buses are not even hired by the companies on my street. They belong to firms located in Seepz, which is about 5 minutes drive from where I am. Since outside buses are not allowed to park with in Seepz compound, the contractors nicely get their vehicles parked in streets around the Seepz compound.
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Show me some parking space! |
When the pressure mounts on the cops, then they get the buses out of our street for couple of days. But then the contractors are at it again. Sometimes these assholes park their buses are the corner of the street, which in turn leads to accidents, since the drivers turning into the street able not see the cars coming out. Due to limited parking space, there have also been quite a few fights among the neighboring offices.
Even the adjacent street is crammed with trucks, which leaves hardly any space for cars to pass by. In short, the only way I am able to secure a parking spot for my car is by threatening the bus drivers and yelling and screaming at them to move away. Many a times, my boss had to interfere - on seeing situations getting out of hand. These days, my office security guard puts out a huge flower pot thereby blocking a parking spot for me.
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Douple parking |
But even this doesn't stop the parking-spot hijackers; they have now started double parking. Again blocking more road space and making our lives even more miserable.
I just don't understand what could be done to get rid of this problem for good. Writing to the M.I.D.C managing committee would be of no-use because these guys are very much aware of the problem but refuse to do anything about it. Filing a police complaint, as said earlier, is only a temporary relief.
I just can't imagine myself going through this ordeal for the next couple of years.
Is there a permanent solution?
Hijacking of Parking Space
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Kishore
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May 4, 2006
08:13 AM
Have u been to Bangalore of late? Sometimes when u get to see the worse, what u have in hand will appear like god.. :)
The Hissing Saint
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May 4, 2006
08:35 AM
Just the word Andheri brings nothing but nightmares to me!
Solution? Seems like one of those books you mention at the bottom of your article might just come in handy.
Sakshi
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May 4, 2006
08:39 AM
oh yaar, I forgot to add "Jai Maharashtra".
The Hissing Saint
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May 4, 2006
08:47 AM
Horn OK Please
I dont know why I am adding this but then again perhaps this would be the most persistent memory post a traffic jam. LOL!
Kim
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May 4, 2006
09:49 AM
I can totally empathise. I had a 2 month contract at Powai and Andheri (East) is the worst section of town when it comes to traffic.
Have you passed Juhu chowpatty recently. since the school holidays began, there are traffic jams at 1am in the early morning too. the auto guys don't just double park but triple park & the ones in the last lane move very very slowly to pick up traffic.
Preeti
May 5, 2006
08:35 PM
Sakshi
I use to work yrs back at andheri east before I moved to US.
This post of yours took me back to mumbai and am feeling all nostalgic now. I want to go back there. The way you described your drive, the 'contract buses' -I use to hire their services(yup I did) , thanks to you now ,7 seas across I took a ride from juhu to andheri. Despite the traffic, the pollution, the rickshawallas, the dug up roads I yet enjoyed myself. I imagined it all.
Vikas Chowdhry
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May 5, 2006
09:40 PM
Sakshi - yes the buses take the parking space of 2-3 cars, but they carry 50 times as many people as a single car. Imagine your nightmare if all those people working in SEEPZ did not have the contract buses to haul them! Most, if not all of them can afford a car - just think of the traffic nightmare you will have to endure on your way to work then!
The problem is not the contract buses but urban planning which has not existed in India since the days of Mohenjodaro.
Preeti Scoff scoff! Unless you are being sarcastic I can only scoff at your empty nostalgia.
bevivek
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May 5, 2006
11:33 PM
Sakshi - I agree with Vikas. In Pune which is fast heading Bangalore wards, there is now a movement to promote efficient and attractive public transport and discourage private car traffic. Check out http://www.pttf.net (Pune Traffic and Transportation Forum). This takes ideas from what's called the Bogota Model. Bogota apparently has been successful in this conversion, i.e, private car drivers to public transport users.
Sakshi
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May 6, 2006
02:43 AM
Vikas - I agree with you. I am not against Contract buses, per se..my only problem is the these guys are taking up spaces not allocated to them. If they are hired by firms located in Speez, then they should very well be allowed to park to within the Speez compound (which is huge). Only the buses hired by companies in a particular..should be allowed to park there and that too in their parking space..not someone elses. This is only being fair.
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