Options narrowing down

Shrinking space inside the lanes of Ashok Vihar’s A-Block is making proper movement of vehicles and residents difficult. NDP tries to do a reality check-Swati Prabhu Ashok Vihar. Situated behind the popular Central Market of Ashok Vihar, the posh A-block of Ashok Vihar, Phase - I has been of late facing a serious problem of parking. This block is well connected with the market and witnesses a steady flow of people everyday. The moment you enter the block, there are two parks with lush green foliage welcoming you with open arms. But once you set foot in the lanes of the block, you will find rows of cars parked in every nook and cranny making it difficult for the other vehicles, or even residents, to move around freely.
The moment you enter the block, there are two parks with lush green foliage welcoming you with open arms. But once you set foot in the lanes of the block, you will find rows of cars parked in every nook and cranny making it difficult for the other vehicles, or even residents, to move around freely. Lack of parking space in the area has not only created problems for the residents living there but also for the people who visit the block who find it tough to look for a convenient place to park their vehicles. "There is definitely a problem of parking here. With the increase in the number of huge cars in the block, people are running out of space to park their vehicles," quips a local guard of the block. Says KC Arora, a resident of the block, "The main root cause for this parking crisis is the encroachments carried out by the ground floor inhabitants of the block. People have extended their courtyards a little further making no way for the cars to drive by or even for the vehicles to be parked. It is not only illegal but also causes a lot of trouble to all the residents."Due to this encroachment the water drainage system stands the risk of being affected. As residents have extended their houses it obstructs the drainage pipes. Though there is no sewage problem at present but it cannot be totally ruled out in the future," adds Arora. When contacted the general secretary of the RWA, Bansal said, "If residents have any problem, then they are free to discuss them with the association". He also added, "As per the Delhi Master Plan, 1971, the designs of the houses were quite small as compared to today. With the growth in the number of members in every family, there is bound to be some extensions and changes keeping in mind the demand for more space." However, he refused to accept that these are encroachments, and added that till now they have not received any complaint regarding this. From time to time the RWA has been organising meetings to tackle any issue facing the block and, according to the association, it is one of the well- maintained blocks in Ashok Vihar.