Kolkata: A group of 203 residents of Bangasree Pally on Upen Banerjee Road in Parnasree has lodged a police complaint and signed a mass petition, launching a campaign against illegal parking and unauthorized roadside structures in their neighbourhood. In their effort to reclaim road space, the residents have identified 13 vehicles that are regularly parked illegally on the road, most of them carrying commercial number plates.The group members, including Puja Saha and Nimai Haldar, claimed the vehicles, parked illegally on pavements, and the roadside stalls blocked the footpath as well as entrances of some houses, and forced pedestrians to walk on the road, putting them at the risk of meeting with accidents, especially at night. They claimed that the road space was reduced to 11 ft from the original 14 ft due to illegal parking and encroachment. According to the complaint, the worst-affected stretch is near Sabuj Sangha Club, where a row of temporary structures occupy a portion of the road. “The illegal parking and poor vehicle management have changed our daily life, for the worse. Our neigbourhood stays crowded throughout the day and evening. With hardly any space on the pavements, we have to come down on the road and it gets risky, especially in peak hours,” a resident said.The unabated encroachments and congestion ostensibly compelled the residents to launch this movement. They pointed out that on June 23, light and heavy vehicles, left on the road near the local market, brought traffic to a virtual halt. “We started this collective effort because the situation is getting worse every day. We want pedestrians to be able to use the pavements and the road to stay clear for vehicles,” another resident involved in the campaign said.Cops at the Parnasree Police Station received the petition and registered an FIR under BNS Section 285. Police said they had started verifying the allegations and would inspect the stretch, especially near Sabuj Sangha Club. “We have received the mass petition and a complaint, signed by residents of Bangasree Pally. Our teams will inspect the area. Steps will be taken to remove unauthorized structures and penalize vehicle owners parking on pavements,” a police officer said.Residents said they would continue their movement until the local administration cleared the road and ensured public safety.
