Authorities turn blind eye to commercial vehicles encroaching Focal Point roads in Ludhiana

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, July 27

Focal Point industrialists seem to have given up on the issue of commercial vehicle encroachment outside their factory premises. Despite being brought to the attention of law enforcement agencies, drivers continue to haphazardly park these heavy vehicles on the roads, causing much inconvenience to commuters and factory owners.

They have converted the Focal Point roads into garages. Mechanics and drivers are seen repairing and modifying commercial vehicles, inconveniencing other commuters. This is not Transport Nagar where vehicles can be parked. An industrialist

Rajiv Jain, general secretary, Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO), told The Tribune that the issue had been raised time and again with officials from the police, municipal corporation and district administration.

“These drivers park outside our factories to load and unload stock at their convenience, totally indifferent to the difficult situation this puts us in. We highlight the issue, PCR personnel come to address it, but we are back to square one some three days later,” lamented Jain.

Industrialists rue that neither the police nor the Transport Department take any action against these illegally parked vehicles on roads for days on end.

Another industrialist at Focal Point Phase VI, who owns a hosiery manufacturing unit, complained that the drivers were often seen repairing their vehicles on the road itself. “They have converted the Focal Point roads into garages. Mechanics and drivers are seen repairing and modifying commercial vehicles, inconveniencing other commuters. This is not the Transport Nagar where vehicles can be parked, we work here, stocks are loaded and unloaded daily and sent out. Buyers visiting us too stand inconvenienced, but these drivers have comfortably encroached upon the roads while law enforcement agencies look the other way,” lamented the manufacturer.

RTA Randeep Singh stated that over the last three months, approximately 6,000 challans had been issued for improper parking of vehicles throughout the city. “We will begin cracking down on illegal commercial vehicle parking, particularly in Focal Points,” the RTA added.