Illegal Parking Chaos At Wakad’s Chowdhary Park; Residents Protest, Demand Action
Illegal Parking Chaos At Wakad's Chowdhary Park; Residents Protest, Demand Action
The upscale Chowdhary Park area in Wakad is grappling with a severe crisis caused by rampant illegal parking of large vehicles, leading to major traffic bottlenecks and safety concerns for residents. Frustrated by the alleged inaction of authorities despite repeated complaints, local residents organized a protest on Sunday to demand a permanent solution.
The core of the issue lies in the illegal occupation of residential roads by trucks, tourist buses, JCBs, and other large vehicles from outside the society. This has narrowed the already congested streets, creating a hazardous environment.
Schoolchildren find it difficult and dangerous to cross the roads, senior citizens struggle to walk on footpaths that are blocked by unauthorized stalls, and women feel increasingly unsafe. Residents also highlighted that the narrowed roads impede the passage of emergency vehicles, creating a critical safety risk. The situation has reportedly led to a significant rise in minor accidents and near-misses.
Along with this residents have also demanded to install permanent speed breakers near the Bharat Petrol Pump and Premji Mithaiwala, erecting clear ‘No Parking’ signboards, and taking punitive action against illegally parked vehicles.
Furthermore, residents have requested the establishment of a regular traffic control booth, pruning tree branches obstructing streetlights, and ensuring all streetlights are functional to improve visibility and safety.
Residents claim that numerous complaints to the PCMC and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) have yielded no results. This perceived apathy compelled them to escalate their action.
Prior to the protest, a delegation of society members met with the Police Inspector of Wakad Police Station and the Traffic Police Inspector to submit a formal written petition, urging permanent action.
“This issue goes far beyond traffic jams. The safety of our elderly parents and young children is at stake every single day. The footpaths are unusable, forcing people to walk on the road, which is now narrowed by illegally parked buses. What if an ambulance needs to get through? The authorities’ inaction is not just negligence; it is a direct threat to public safety. We pay our taxes, we follow the rules, all we ask is for our basic right to safe streets.” Said Bhaskar Chaudhary, resident of Chaudhary Park, Wakad
