Police Remove No Parking Signs Erected by Businesses in City
Mangaluru: While Mangaluru City is already facing acute shortage of parking spots, added to that private business owners are making use of some of the MCC owned property as their Parking spaces. Many of these buildings when applied for licences even though they had mentioned about providing parking places, but have constructed shops without space for parking in the building. And the business owners in these buildings have no option, than post ‘No Parking’ sign for their customers. If you look around the City, you will see ‘No Parking’ signs erected in front of the private firms. But do these people know that they don’t own the parking space-they only own or rent their business space- the parking place that they claim to be theirs, legally belongs to MCC. Period!
Many commercial complexes in the City which operate without parking place are the main reason for traffic congestion during busy hours. Vehicles parked on footpaths or roadsides, and for that matter, parked in front of these businesses who had posted ‘No parking’ signs for their benefit are creating lots of hassles for the motorists and also leading to traffic snarls. Many of these buildings allow limited number of vehicles, especially meant for their clients, while other commercial buildings don’t even have proper parking space.
Even though that every private/commercial building has to provide enough space for vehicle parking, but unfortunately, the owners of these buildings violate the rules after obtaining the licence, some even use political influence, as per MCC officials. So what a corrupt society are we living in? Having received complaints in this regard during the phone-in programme to Police Commissioner T R Suresh every Friday, and complaints posted on WhatsApp, Facebook, etc, the Traffic Police went around the prime spots in the City, and removed all the parking signs, and loaded them in their vehicles, and placed them in the police station premises.
In conclusion, a message to all these business owners, it is illegal for you to put a “no parking” sign out by the road, in an misguided attempt to prohibit parking. Such signs can be placed alongside the road only by the authority of the MCC or Traffic police. Essentially all other signs, placed near the road, or indeed anywhere in the public right of way, are illegal and may be removed by the concerned authorities without notice. But sadly that is not happening in Mangaluru. MCC and City traffic police have turned a blind eye against these issues, and commercial/ business owners are taking advantage of this. But they should realize that the road is public, and open to all, with some exceptions.
You could probably put a sign in your driveway, saying “No Parking” and be within your rights- but not on a public property which belongs to MCC/Citizens. It is a public street, and you do not have the exclusive right to parking privilege. A ‘no parking’ sign on the street in front of your business, unless the property belongs to you, is ignorant. You do not own the street or have exclusive right to park there nor your exclusive customers. A job well done by the City Traffic cops, Finally!