HDMC drive fails to make parking a smooth task

HUBLI: The HDMC's much touted drive against encroachment on parking areas seems to have failed, since it is still a huge task for vehicle users to park their vehicles, though there is ample parking space in the city.
The fact that motorists have not been able to make use of the space cleared by the civic authority has given people the feeling that the whole exercise, that was stretched for over four months, lacked proper homework and hence, has been mostly ineffective.Though encroachments on over 20,000 sqmt of space in over 150 buildings have been removed, no proper access has been provided to the basement parking in most of the buildings.
The problem lies in the lack of coordination between HDMC and police, with both authorities passing the buck. While HDMC commissioner K V Trilokchandra says they have done their duty of clearing the encroachments, police, whose duty is to ensure proper use of parking space, allege that the civic authority has not done its duty properly.
"The corporation has just cleared encroachments in parking lots, but this will not help solve the problem since they have not provided proper access to the parking lots in many buildings. Then how can we insist that the motorists make use of the space?" asks DCP (traffic) P R Batakurki.
Meanwhile, the stand-off between the two authorities has come in as a blessing in disguise for building owners. Some complexes have converted the space into store houses. Syntax tanks have been stored in the basement of a commercial complex on Neeligin Road in Hubli, where formerly a fertilizers and seeds shop existed.
Motorists in the central business district continue to vie for space on roadside parking lots even as large amount of space lie unused in some of the complexes nearby.
HDMC opposition leader Deepak Chinchore said it is the joint responsibly of the HDMC and police to see that the space is put into better use. If police say that there is no access to parking lots, then it should come out with a list of such specific buildings instead of just passing the buck.