During Ganesh festival, parking woes will end at Shivaji Park

Ganesh devotees will have space to park their vehicles at Shivaji Park this festival.

The police and the BMC are also chalking out an alternate parking plan for future festivals within three weeks to avoid chaos.

The Bombay high court on Thursday granted interim relief to the state government seeking permission to park vehicles at Shivaji Park during the Ganesh festival. Although the court granted the permission, it laid down conditions.

A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice DY Chandrachud sought an undertaking from the commissioner of police (CP) and the BMC commissioner by September 14 that the park would be restored by the end of this month.

Wecom Trust had filed a PIL seeking the declaration of Shivaji Park as a silence zone. The petitioners told the court that the ground would be severely damaged if vehicles were allowed to be parked on the ground.

The high court had earlier directed the park to be earmarked as a “silence zone”. The government, however, sought a relaxation of this condition during the upcoming festivities. Government pleader DA Nalavade told the court that on the days of Ganesh immersion, roads would be choc-a-bloc and parked vehicles on the roads will cause chaos.

“We will try to ensure there is minimum traffic on the grounds,” Nalawade said, adding that only parts of the grounds will be used for parking purposes.

The CP and the BMC commissioner in their affidavits sought to be filed next week have to assure the court that the ground will be cleared by September 30 and will have to earmark parts of the ground that will be used for parking.

“Let them use their good sense and do it,” chief justice Shah
remarked.

The court also directed that the government should formulate an alternative plan within three weeks so that it can be used during festivals in future.