Footpaths in Jubilee Hills making way for Parking of Vehicles
It was in 2003 when the Jubilee Hills – Hi-Tec city stretch was turned into a four-lane road. There were footpaths lining this stretch, but gradually started making way for parking of vehicles.
The excitement among activists over Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC’s) prompt action was however shortlived. Less than a year later, the new footpath has disappeared, with shops using it as parking space. A number of showrooms and restaurants have placed ramps on the footpaths to enable their customers park their vehicles.
Activists now say that they are left with no choice but to move the high court to put pressure on the GHMC to remove these ‘parking’ encroachments from footpaths, not only in Road No. 36 Jubilee Hills but also elsewhere in the city.
Last year, citizen activist V V Prasad approached the Lokayukta seeking its intervention in a problem that plagues the whole of Hyderabad – missing footpaths. His application, however, focused on Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills and he stated how there was no space for pedestrians to walk on this increasingly commercial stretch. The Lokayukta took cognizance of the complaint and asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to construct a walkway. And indeed, the municipal corporation laid a footpath on a one-kilometer stretch from Jubilee Hills checkpost to Panjagutta circle.
“When the GHMC constructed this footpath again, we assumed the encroachment issue in this stretch would end but with the rise in the number of commercial complexes, it’s back to square one,” says VV Prasad, who had moved the Lokayukta. He says that it is mandatory for every business establishment to keep 40% of its area reserved for parking, a norm that has been blatantly flouted across the city.
Activists had earlier moved the State Human Rights Commission on this matter but the case has been pending for the last two years. Activists claim they have offered a number of solutions to authorities on numerous occasions but government officials seem disinterested. However, GHMC officials claim that the issue is being taken up on a priority basis.
Activists now say that they are left with no choice but to move the high court to put pressure on the GHMC to remove these ‘parking’ encroachments from footpaths, not only in Road No. 36 Jubilee Hills but also elsewhere in the city. They note that footpaths in areas such as Dilsukhnagar, Nagarjuna Circle, Kukatpally, Gachibowli, Madhapur, Banjara Hills, and a number of places in Secunderabad are non-existent, more so due to the spurt in the number of commercial complexes on these stretches.
“We will start a drive along with the traffic department in which we will penalise people who park their cars on footpaths. First we will educate them and if in case there are repeated violations, people will have to pay a penalty,” said Dhananjay Reddy, additional commissioner, town planning, adding that the date of enforcement of this rule is yet to be decided.
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