Encroachments continue to block access to parking lot in Nashik’s Mumbai Naka area

Nashik: A letter from the city police, requesting the Nashik civic body to clear the encroachments blocking access to a parking lot under a commercial complex at Mumbai Naka, is yet to show results even a month on.
Handcarts, food stalls, kiosks and vendors selling small items continue to obstruct the way. Meanwhile, most motorists too are not aware that there is a parking lot here. They usually keep their vehicles on the side of the very busy and narrow road opposite the Mumbai Naka (Mahamarg) bus stand, along the Mumbai Naka highway.
Deputy commissioner of police (HQ and Traffic) said, "We would be reminding the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) officers concerned about getting rid of encroachments."
Officials of the traffic branch said if the access is cleared and a parking board is put up, motorists will start parking their bikes in the designated parking space instead of along the road. There is a huge parking space in the basement of the complex, and as many as 38 cars and 63 two-wheelers can be parked there.
Many motorists, because of the lack of adequate parking lots in the city, are forced to keep their vehicles along the roads. This, in turn, eats into the carriageway and causes traffic congestion, especially during the rush hours. The Mumbai Naka junction is heavily congested during the evening hours. While road signals have also been installed at the junction, they are yet to be made functional.
A senior civic official told TOI they are giving the parking lot on contract. The tendering process is underway. Once the space is lent out for parking on contract, things like removing the encroachments and putting up a pay and park board, etc., will automatically be done. The officer added that it was a matter of a few weeks before the parking lot was made operational.