Tank Bund parking bays turn dangerous

Hyderabad: The parking bays on Tank Bund are causing a lot of trouble to drivers of RTC buses and other vehicles on the busy thoroughfare. Four-wheelers which are parked in the bays reverse into the main road, causing inconvenience to other road-users.

There are no parking assistants, and lighting on the Tank Bund is often on the blink. Together with the glare of oncoming vehicles, road-users find it difficult to spot the four-wheelers that suddenly enter the road.

Vehiclists have to either brake hard or swerve to avoid the four wheelers which is a risky manoeuvre at the best of times on the busy road. Mr Jabbar, a Setwin driver whose route usually takes him on Tank Bund, said his bus was loaded with passengers when a car suddenly came on to the road from a parking bay. “I saw the vehicle and immediately applied brakes, otherwise there would have been an accident.”

“There is a danger of accidents at the parking bays. It would be better if speed-breakers are built near the parking bays so that vehicles travelling on Tank Bund can slow down at those particular points,” said Mr Praveen, a RTC bus conductor.

Mr Mohammed Jahangeer, a bus driver, said, “If the four-wheeler drivers take out their vehicles in a rash manner, it can cause accidents. Vehicles coming from opposite side also cross the road at these points to park their vehicles. This is also risky.”

Asked about the problems of motorists, Chikkadpally traffic police inspector K. Srinivasulu said the speed limit on Tank Bund was 40 km per hour, and that there were little chances of accidents. “We have never got a complaint about the parking issue. The parking bays are sufficient to park the vehicles,” Mr Srinivasulu said.