Prayagraj: Even as civic authorities prepare to introduce stricter parking norms in posh Civil Lines, encroachment of service lanes continues to be a major concern.Ironically, many spaces originally earmarked for parking have, over the years, been occupied by vendors and temporary establishments. As a result, motorists are often left with little option but to park on the main carriageways, further aggravating traffic congestion in the city’s busiest commercial hub.Service lanes near several markets, restaurants and shopping centres remain encroached upon for most of the day, leaving only a narrow passage for pedestrians and vehicles. Locals and traders have repeatedly demanded action, arguing that rampant encroachments have undermined efforts to improve traffic management in the area.Civic officials said sustained enforcement drives would be necessary to reclaim designated parking spaces and ensure that the proposed parking policy achieves its intended objective.The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has, on several occasions, launched anti-encroachment drives against vendors as well as individuals engaged in vehicle repair and accessory fitting activities along major roads in the area. However, the impact of such drives has largely been short-lived, with encroachers returning almost immediately after enforcement teams leave.For the past two months, commuters have also been contributing to the problem by parking vehicles in the middle of roads while they shop, reducing traffic movement to a single lane. The stretch between the CORE headquarters and Subash Crossing has been particularly affected, with traffic snarls becoming a routine sight.
