Whole of Colombo a no parking zone?

Saturday, 11 January 2014 09:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Last week all of a sudden the Narahenpita Police started enforcing a no parking policy down roads like Nawala Road, Thimbirigasyaya Road, Kirula Road, Fife Road, etc. Even in areas where there are no visible yellow lines or any other restrictions they gave tickets to cars parked on the side of the road. This was very frustrating as these are residential/small business zones where parking is essential. A person visiting a sick relative found he had being given a ticket while he was visiting the patient for about 15 minutes. He had parked right in front of the house

of the relative as he had done for about 30 years now. When challenged, the young policeman had been sympathetic and agreed that there is nothing to indicate that it was a no parking area but that he was carrying out the instructions of a senior officer. When asked under what Section of the Traffic Act he was acting, the policeman had replied that it was for obstructing the traffic! And this was on a Sunday! I challenge anyone to prove that a vehicle parked down Kirula Road or any other road mentioned (in the areas away from busy junctions) would obstruct traffic as these are wide enough to allow the flow of traffic. Obviously these decisions are not made on any intelligent observation of the traffic pattern, but rather on a whim if a VIP is passing and he is obstructed for a few minutes the entire population is punished. Unlike Galle Road or the Fort area, there are many residential houses in these suburban areas. Where do the Police expect the visitors to park? If the entirety of Colombo is no parking except for the vehicles of the VIPs and Government officials, where does the rest of the population park? In places like London, there is the tube. But in Colombo a lot of us travel by car, three-wheelers or motorcycles. What about small businesses which depend on casual customers? These businesses depend so much on their patronage. Slowly but surely a lot of things are being throttled by an increasingly insensitive administration. Jagath Weerakone

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