Encroachers back near Sitabuldi flyover

NAGPUR: Despite high court orders to provide parking place on both sides of Sitabuldi flyovers - in front of deputy director (education) office and in front of Gorakshan Sabha on Wardha road, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has done nothing. At present, both places have been taken over again by encroachers.
On September 27, 2010, a division bench of justices Vijay Daga and Arun Chaudhari had ordered the civic body to remove encroachments from five places including chowpatty in front of Yeshwant stadium, second hand book sellers area besides the deputy director of education, cricket gear sellers in front of Gorakshan Sabha and also illegal shops between Panchsheel square and Lokmat square to create parking space.
Nearly three months after the encroachments were removed, things appear back to square one. NMC had assured the court it would level the places for parking. On Wednesday, TOI visited the areas and found that, on ground nothing has been done by the civic body. Second hand book sellers and cricket gear sellers are back again in their respective places. "Lack of any follow-up action by the NMC had resulted in encroachments cropping up again at these parking places," alleged motorists.
Jayant Ahir, a two-wheeler rider, said NMC neglecting HC directions was no surprise. He claimed NMC officials were hand in glove with these encroachers so they take just token action. He said near deputy director education's office, the NMC had not levelled the place so it could not be used to park vehicles. Secretary of Consumer Services and Research Association Anand Moolay also pointed out that the corporation could provide more parking place beneath the Sitabuldi flyover by removing saplings planted below it.
DCP (traffic) Sahebrao Patil too expressed concern over negligent attitude of NMC on parking issues. "Vehicle population has crossed 12 lakh, however, there is hardly any parking place available across the city," he said. Patil also pointed out that due to lack of parking place in Sitabuldi area, motorists parked their vehicles in no-parking zone. "When we lift their vehicles, they ask us to show the place where they could park their vehicles," he added.
Despite repeated attempts, municipal commissioner Sanjiv Jaiswal was not available for comments.