HYDERABAD: Daily tussles between bikers and shopkeepers over parking at Lad Bazaar, in the old city prompted the traffic police to erect another barricade there on Wednesday. Traffic police officials said that they were planning to make the area a no-parking zone in the future.
On any given day, shopkeepers close to Charminar can be seen shouting at and arguing with shoppers who park their vehicles on the road. “How can our customers enter our shops?” asked an employee of Mujib Bangles who did not wish to be named.
“Motorists park their vehicles right in front of our shops and then don’t return for hours,” he lamented. Mohd Nooruddin, proprietor of A1 Bangles and Jewellery, said, “We are already facing losses because of low footfall due to the Charminar Pedestrian Project. Now we have to constantly deal with civilians parking in front of our shops.”
The daily tussle often leads to arguments between the shopkeepers and bikers. Talking to Express, P Srinivas Reddy, SHO of the Charminar Traffic Police Station, said, “This move comes after many complaints by shopkeepers’ association in Lad Bazar about their problems. However, it’s going to take some time to make the area a no-parking zone.”