Explore possibility of multi-level parking at Karol Bagh to ease congestion, HC tells authorities

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the local authorities here to explore alternatives like multi-level parking to resolve the problem of vehicular congestion caused by cars parked on roads in the Karol Bagh area.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for Karol Bagh area, to file a report indicating the status of its proposal to build multi-level parking lots at Shastri Park and Rajinder Nagar.

A direction was also issued to the traffic police to hold a meeting of all stakeholders to fix a timing for loading and unloading of goods at Karol Bagh market to ease the congestion there.

The court said if all the stakeholders do not turn up for the meeting, despite giving advance notice to them, the traffic police can fix the timings on its own.

"Action in this regard be taken within two weeks," the bench said and listed the matter for further hearing on October 29.

The court asked the authorities to proceed with the action they were taking against illegal parking in the area.

The bench was hearing a PIL by Neena Narang, a resident of the colony, claiming that due to excessive parking on the roads in Karol Bagh, only a single lane was left for traffic movement.

Later an application was moved by some traders' associations of Karol Bagh claiming traffic congestion in the area due to excessive parking on the roads.

The associations have alleged that due to lack of action on the part of the corporation to ensure the sites earmarked for parking were used for that purpose, vehicles were being parked on the colony roads occupying double and triple lanes.

The court had earlier said that public roads at Karol Bagh here cannot be used as private parking space by car and two-wheeler dealers and had directed the traffic police and the municipal corporation of the area to take strict action against the violators.