NEW DELHI: The national capital’s growing parking crisis has turned the city’s streets into daily battlegrounds, where drivers engage in a relentless struggle for scarce parking spaces.
From residential areas to bustling markets, the lack of space has led to honking, tempers flaring, and fuel being wasted as vehicles circle the blocks in search of vacant spots.
While Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) call for stricter control over vehicle sales, claiming that the rapidly increasing number of cars is outpacing the city’s ability to accommodate them, market associations are pushing for the creation of multi-level parking facilities to ease the traffic congestion.
Sarojini Nagar Market: A Case of Missed Opportunities
At Sarojini Nagar Market, a shopping hub that attracts between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors daily, the parking situation has become untenable. The footfall doubles on weekends, creating a chaotic environment for both shopkeepers and customers alike. Despite the completion of a multi-level parking facility with the capacity to house 650 vehicles, it remains unopened, months after the work was finished.
Ashok Randhawa, head of the Sarojini Mini Market Traders Association, voiced his frustration over the delay. “Although the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) completed the parking project four months ago, it remains non-operational. Despite repeated inspections by senior NDMC officials, the reason for its non-opening remains unclear,” Randhawa said.
He added that while there are three parking lots in the market, and another multi-level facility nearby, people tend to avoid the latter due to the delays caused by lifts and the extra time required to park. Once functional, Randhawa believes that the new parking facility near Metro Gate No. 1 will provide much-needed relief.
Sadar Bazar: Parking Situation No Less Alarming
The parking situation in Sadar Bazar is no less alarming. With vendors using road lanes for parking and charging customers for the privilege, the narrow streets often become clogged with parked vehicles. “The authority has allowed vendors to use one lane of the road as parking, but this has left only one lane for vehicles to pass through. We often see vehicles parked across two to three lanes,” said Paramjeet Singh Pamma, chairman of the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association. Pamma explained that this parking chaos not only hampers traffic flow but also disrupts loading and unloading activities, affecting business operations. He called for a multi-storey parking facility in the market to alleviate the problem.
Citizens Push for Stricter Vehicle Regulations
In East Delhi, BS Vohra, president of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA), has long advocated for stricter vehicle regulations. He suggested that families should be restricted to owning just one car to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. “We simply don’t have enough parking spaces for the number of vehicles on Delhi’s roads. We’ve been urging the authorities for years to implement a policy where only one car per family is allowed, or, if a family has sufficient parking space, they can have two or three vehicles. Additionally, when purchasing a new vehicle, the previous one should be scrapped,” Vohra said.
With approximately 1,500 vehicles registering every day in the city and over seven lakh vehicles registered in Delhi last year alone, the strain on the city’s infrastructure is palpable.
Authorities Respond
Delhi Police has ramped up efforts to tackle the issue, conducting regular enforcement drives and educational campaigns to encourage compliance with traffic rules.
“We continue to prosecute violators and educate the public about traffic discipline. It’s essential for citizens to use the designated parking spaces available,” said a senior Delhi Police official.
To further ease congestion, the police have been carrying out anti-encroachment and illegal parking drives in various parts of the capital.
For instance, during a recent drive in Kalkaji, 792 challans were issued for improper parking, 55 vehicles were towed, and seven illegal e-rickshaws were impounded.
Model Town: Unused Parking Facilities
In Model Town, a multi-level parking facility built at a cost of Rs 21 crore in 2013 remains non-operational due to a design flaw. Sanjay Gupta, president of the Model Town RWA, expressed disappointment over the inaction. “The underground parking structure, which could help alleviate some of the parking woes in the area, remains closed due to its faulty design. We’ve suggested that it be demolished and replaced with a new structure,” Gupta said.
He added that the two markets in Model Town – Model Town-2 and Model Town-3 – lack proper parking facilities, forcing vendors to occupy up to three lanes of the road for parking. The result is chaotic traffic, particularly on weekends.