In what is fast becoming a daily ordeal for city dwellers, our roads—meant for public commuting—are being converted into unauthorized showrooms by local car dealers. These businesses often operating with impunity park dozens of vehicles on public roads, choking crucial arteries, blocking access points and turning already congested areas into zones of utter chaos. This misuse of public space is not only an affront to urban order but also a serious civic issue that demands immediate attention. Take a walk through any bustling neighborhood — whether residential or commercial — and you’re likely to find a line of cars, freshly polished and tagged “For Sale,” occupying sidewalks and road margins. These aren’t privately owned vehicles temporarily parked; these are business inventories being stored in open public spaces. As a result, the pedestrians are forced onto the road, traffic slows to a crawl, and emergency vehicles struggle to navigate through narrowed lanes. The problem is compounded by illegal parking, a plague that seems to thrive in areas with weak enforcement. Vehicles double-parked, dumped in no-parking zones, or left idle for hours with impunity make everyday commutes a test of patience and resilience. For the elderly, school children, and people with disabilities, such lawlessness isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous. What makes the situation worse is the inaction— or in some cases, silent complicity — of local authorities. Rules exist. Penalties exist. But what is missing is enforcement. Therefore, in order to end this situation, the authorities concerned need to act tough against them so that the people could heave a sigh of relief.
Preserving ecology
Jammu and Kashmir, often romanticized as ‘Paradise on Earth,’ is grappling with an ecological nightmare. The twin threats of climate...
