Pune: Market Committee to implement ‘Pay and Park’ to curb traffic and stop vendors from encroaching Shivneri road

The Pune Agricultural Produce Market committee is now preparing to implement ‘pay and park’ on the entire Shivneri road to crackdown on fruit sellers encroaching on the road. The Committee has constructed a bridge to keep Shivneri Road at Market Yard free from encroachment

The Shivneri Road in front of the marketyard at Gultekdi is owned by the Bazar Samiti. But maintenance for civilian use is in the possession of the Municipal Corporation on the condition of repair. But over the last few years, retailers have set up shop on this street. Flower and fruit sellers, who used to be seen during Ganpati festival have been running shops on both sides of the road for twelve months now. This road is heavily congested with state, foreign trucks as well as local tempos, two-wheelers. Encroachment causes permanent traffic jams as well as minor accidents.

Against this backdrop, the market committee started levying Rs 500 per day encroachment fee and GST from vendors doing unauthorized bedding along the road a month ago. The Pathari Panchayat staged a protest against this. The agitation took place under the leadership of leader Dr. Baba Adhav. Therefore, the administration temporarily suspended the campaign of levying charges on the vendors.

But in the short term, the administration has taken the next step to keep the road free from encroachment. Attempts have been made to implement ‘Pay and Park’ scheme on Shivneri Road.

When contacted, Madhukant Garad, administrator of the market committee, confirmed this. Garad said that it has been decided to implement a two-way pay and park on Shivneri Road between 50 m from Hotel Utsav on Shivneri Road and 50 m from Warehousing Corporation Chowk. To implement this NOC has been sent to the traffic police and a committee chaired by the Mayor for pay and park. Pay and Park will be implemented on Shivneri Road after their permission. In some areas, there will be parking for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The responsibility for planning the parking on this road will rest with the concerned contractor. This will bring discipline to the traffic on Shivneri road and will also create a new source of income for the market committee.