Shutters down in portion of Kohima town over new parking arrangement

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Oct. 2 (EMN): Apprehensive about the possibility of losing customers with the introduction of the new parking plan in a portion of Kohima, traders along the New NST to Khuochiezie (Local ground) downed shutters on Saturday to show their disappointment with the change.

The move came a day after the new parking arrangement came into effect. The Kohima Smart City Development Ltd. had announced the road stretch from New NST to Razhu Point and Razhu point to Khuochiezie (Local ground) as ‘No Parking’ zone from October 1 and arranged a parking space at Old MLA hostel site and Khuochiezie as an alternative.

In an interaction with journalists on Saturday, some of the traders whose shops are located at the stretch of the road, expressed concern over the possibility of ‘losing customers’ in the long run if the new parking arrangement remains.

They claimed that sales had dipped on Friday in some shops, particularly hardware stores and shops selling electrical appliances. So, the shutter down on Saturday was to ‘express our unhappiness at what is going on’, they added.

An array of activities has been going on along the stretch of road from Old NST till Razhu Point since September 29, in view of the ‘Kohima street carnival’ under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which culminated on Saturday.

In this regard, the traders said it had neither “disrupted any of the activities” nor “gone against the government”.

It was informed that the traders met with the deputy commissioner of Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie, who is also the convenor of Regional Transport Authority, on Wednesday and submitted eight points “to reconsider” in connection with the new parking plan.

The points included dropping and pick-up points at every 30 to 50 metres, designated and sufficient free parking zones for two-wheelers, designated locations every 30 to 50 metres for unloading and loading of materials, and no restriction for unloading of water tankers within the specified stretch.

The traders also demanded no parking restrictions during weekends, public holidays and non-office working days along the stretch of road, no parking from 8 am to 6 pm instead of 6 am to 8 pm, security from 6 pm to 9 pm with no load-shedding during the period, provision for specified number of local taxi parking at three locations within the stretch and one additional stop for mini-bus at Old NST.

The traders said that they expect to sit across the table and discuss the matter with the stakeholders in the coming days, failing which they said they would start parking their vehicles in the ‘No Parking’ zone.