Why isolate only hospitals??

 

 

 

I agree with Mr Vijay Phanshikar about violation of by-laws in Footloose in Nagpur column published in ‘The Hitavada CityLine’ (August 29, 2024). As rightly put, hospitals and parking issues are not restricted to one area alone. Residents of Dhantoli being well connected with law and Courts, may be the reason. Problems due to traffic congestion are huge. Are hospitals solely responsible for parking woes and violation of law? Most of the hospitals in Dhantoli were constructed 25 years ago when provision of parking slots inside the building was not mandatory, as is today. To make provisions now for parking is impossible, unless the hospitals are reconstructed. This is a collective failure, for which doctors or patients cannot be blamed. Residents of Dhantoli once residing on huge plots have sold their land to hospitals or builders. Multi-storied residential towers have emerged on these plots, housing innumerable owners with provision of only one parking slot. Nowadays, having two cars per family is a norm. Remaining cars are parked on the roadside.

 

The narrow lanes remain the same but population, huge complexes and vehicles have increased multifold. Other commercial activities have also increased. Lokmat Square is flooded with eateries and various shops. Footpaths are encroached to display goods. Huge furniture mall at the square is using footpath to display items and frontage is being used by his mini trucks to load unload goods, thus affecting traffic on Wardha Road. Packing material is dumped in the drains beneath the Gowari Flyover. Nearby eateries and shops also throw their left overs in the drains. People visiting these shops park or double park on the main road. Huge trucks at construction sites dump building material on roads and occupy much needed space for parking. A little beyond this square there is a three star hotel catering to hundreds of visitors daily, not to forget the exhibitions held here. Valets park the cars of the visitors on the inside lanes of Ramdaspeth, near Dagdi Park obstructing a smooth flow of traffic in this area. Who has given them the permission?? Is there a nexus between the hotel owners, shopkeepers and the authorities, to which doctors are not a party? Turning a blind eye towards these issues and focusing only on hospitals is a great injustice to the noble profession. Doctors and hospitals are a necessity in residential area. Residing close to them should be taken as boon and not bane as many a lives can be saved during emergencies.

 

Dhantoli residents should refrain from selectively targeting hospitals. We as citizens should focus instead on improving congestion in this area by mutual cooperation with the traffic police and city administrators. Few suggestions if tried can reduce congestion. One side parking should be allowed on all lanes. Doctors visiting hospitals for emergencies, moribund patients, senior citizens should be exempted on compassionate grounds. The wide Wardha Road on both sides should be made a strict ‘Pay and Park Zone’, one side for two wheelers, other for four wheelers. Shopkeepers who park their vehicles daily should be charged on monthly basis. Loading trucks should be banned between 9 am to 9 pm. Dumping of waste in the drains or around shops should be stopped. Those violating should be fined. Encroachment on footpaths should be strictly dealt. Enforcement squad should be vigilant. Hope some measures are taken by the authorities with little co-operation from the citizens to bring back the lost glory of our city.