‘Haphazard’ clamping of vehicles irks Jail Road residents

SHILLONG, Aug 18: The purported haphazard clamping of vehicles, especially in the absence of ‘No Parking’ signs and prior notice, has been inconveniencing the residents of PC Deb Lane in Jail Road area of the city.
This downhill lane connects the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Square (NSCBS) near the Jail Road market with Polo and is a major thoroughfare.
Surprised residents are complaining that since Wednesday, without any prior information, police have resorted to clamping of vehicles on this lane, which was otherwise allowed till the previous day.
Normally, the residents only parked their two-wheelers since the narrow PC Deb Lane is not suitable for parking of four-wheelers.
Also, the left side of this lane from NSCBS is completely occupied by vendors and hawkers — whom the residents have branded as “encroachers” — thus reducing the width of the lane further.
Residents observed that in other localities of the town, parking of residents’ vehicles are allowed alongside their respective houses on the road, whereas the allegedly selective clamping of vehicles at PC Deb Lane is being seen by them as an illegitimate act by the police.
The residents observed that it is ‘illegal’ since no prior notice was issued for the acts of the police and vehicles of residents should be allowed to park like other localities.
Meanwhile, the Headman of Jail Road, Prasenjit Dey, said that neither he nor his office has been informed about the move, even as he added that the Shillong Traffic Police (STP) is perhaps trying to declare this lane as a ‘No Parking’ zone. “I did not receive any information from the STP regarding their action on this lane,” he said.