By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Several major roads in Patna, including Nala Road, Boring Road, Kankarbagh Main Road, New Dakbungla Road, Bhattacharya Road, Harding Road, and Khagaul Road, face a severe lack of parking facilities. Despite these roads being lined with shops and marketing complexes, no formal parking spaces have been developed, forcing people to park on the roadsides. This reduces the width of the roads and, combined with heavy traffic, causes daily congestion.
Around five years ago, the then Traffic Superintendent of Police identified 16 such roads with no available parking spaces and submitted the list to the Patna Municipal Corporation. The plan was to create parking areas near these roads so that vehicles could be parked safely, allowing people to shop in the nearby markets. However, no substantial action has been taken by the Corporation to implement this solution.
An odd-even parking scheme was introduced on Nala Road as a temporary measure. Under this system, vehicles with odd-numbered plates were allowed to park on one side of the road, and those with even-numbered plates on the other. The road was marked accordingly, with spaces designated for odd and even vehicles. However, the scheme lasted only a few days before it was discontinued, having failed to alleviate the traffic problem.
The ongoing absence of a comprehensive parking plan continues to contribute to frequent traffic jams, worsening the situation for both commuters and businesses along these key roads. A long-term parking solution remains a pressing need for the city.
