By Our Staff Reporter
Nainital, 17 Apr: Uttarakhand High Court has ordered a stay on the ongoing construction of a double-storey parking facility at Ashok Parking in Nainital. The directive was issued today by a division bench led by Chief Justice G Narender in response to a PIL linked to the traffic crisis in Nainital, titled Ajay Rawat vs Union of India. The Chief Justice also announced his plan to personally inspect the city’s traffic congestion on Friday morning, accompanied by a committee that will examine key areas.
The court’s decision comes in the wake of the persistent problem of traffic jams in Nainital, an issue the High Court has been ‘addressing’ through comprehensive measures. During the last hearing, the bench had directed an IIM professor to bring a Hindi translation of traffic problem solutions prepared by the police.
It may, however, be pointed out that the stay on the construction at Ashok Parking is interim in nature and has been granted till Monday, pending clarification on the land ownership dispute between the Nagar Palika and the administration. The Nagar Palika claims the land, yet the administration is executing the project via its contractor. The court also questioned the expenditure of Rs 5.26 crores to expand the parking capacity from 90 to only 110 vehicles and asked whether such investment was justified for a minimal increase in the capacity.
To regulate traffic, the Chief Justice further proposed towing vehicles parked on roads for over a week, following a public announcement, and recovering the towing charges from owners. Public notices have also been advised to identify private landholders willing to lease land for vehicle storage.
During the hearing, Counsel for Nainital Municipal Council, Devendra Patni informed the court about the current parking project’s details, to which the Chief Justice raised concerns over encroachment on the municipal land. The court also suggested alternative uses for the land, including the construction of a super-specialty hospital.
During the hearing today, the Chief Justice also sought insights into Nainital’s weight-bearing capacity to regulate vehicular entry, suggesting the involvement of the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Additionally, he recommended developing shuttle hubs at Ranibagh to streamline traffic and optimising the use of the area’s 35 acres. Proposals include CCTV surveillance and a mike-speaker system for traffic management.
Short- and long-term traffic management plans were also discussed, including the construction of bio-toilets, ropeways connecting Ranibagh with Jyolikot and Hanumangarhi, and coordinated efforts by various departments such as the Tourism and the PWD.
It may also be reminded here that the court has engaged experts including IIT Professor R Chakravarti and has also instructed the Centre Road Research Institute (CRRI) to contribute to the initiatives. During his virtual appearance, Professor Chakravarti mentioned areas like Kainchi Dham and Bhimtal as critical traffic zones and recommended regulated parking systems in Kathgodam and Kaladhungi.
The High Court will now reconvene on Monday to deliberate further and evaluate the interim findings.
