Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Aug 14: Vehicle drivers and owners arriving at the Padubidri market area should be careful from now onwards. If the vehicle is parked anywhere and everywhere, a fine will be slapped.

Though the local gram panchayat and police department took several steps to reduce traffic congestion at Padubidri junction, controlling the erratic drivers was a problem. Now the gram panchayat has placed a 'no parking' board on both sides of the road.

Though there was a proposal of constructing a separate bypass at Padubidri when the road was made into four lanes, due to political reasons, the highway runs through the busy market area itself. As required, the land was not acquired during four-lane construction. Now there are many issues in the junction area.

Many owners renovated their buildings without leaving any space for parking. So the customers have to park their vehicles on the main road itself. Auto rickshaws and taxis also park their vehicles on the service road itself. In addition, an auto rickshaw stand was built at a cost of Rs 7 crore on Avaralu Mattu connecting road from the junction, which has further congested the area.

Many school buses ply in this area and find it difficult to negotiate traffic. Accidents have also taken place. Due to the bold step taken by the gram panchayat and police department, people who go to work to distant places have to leave their vehicles at their homes only rather than park them in the junction area.