Janakpurdham Faces Parking Chaos Amidst Growing Urbanization

Janakpurdham. Janakpurdham, which holds religious and tourist significance, is also the capital of Madhesh Province. With its status as the provincial capital, there has been an increase in government offices, business activities, service seekers, and tourists. The lack of parking management in line with the growing number of vehicles has led to the disruption of major roads and market areas in Janakpurdham.

Thousands of locals, service seekers, and tourists visit Janakpurdham daily. In addition to citizens coming from all eight districts of Madhesh Province for government work, a significant number of tourists visit to see religious sites like Janaki Temple. However, due to the lack of organized parking facilities, vehicles are being parked haphazardly along the roadsides in market areas. This forces pedestrians, traders, and drivers to face daily hardships.

A few days ago, with the initiative of Fakira Mahato, the Minister of Communication and Law of the Madhesh Province government, encroachments on footpaths in various locations were removed. However, as the removed areas have not been managed, temporary stalls and carts have started reappearing on the footpaths. This has made parking management even more challenging, according to Rajiv Thakur of Janakpur-2.

In areas like Ramchowk, Janaki Temple, Ram Mandir, Rajdevi Mandir, Janak Mandir area, Bhanuchowk, and Ramananda Chowk, carts and temporary businesses are seen operating even in areas designated for parking. This creates problems for vehicle drivers when parking.

Sundar Chaudhary, a resident of Kabilasi Municipality in Mahottari, stated that the presence of carts in designated parking areas causes problems. "There are carts in the parking space, where should we park our vehicles? Even the police are present in front of the carts, but no one says anything. I have had altercations with the cart vendors," he said.

A large number of service seekers visit the District Administration Office, District Police Office, District Court, and various provincial offices in Janakpurdham daily. However, due to the lack of adequate parking facilities within most office premises, service seekers are compelled to park their vehicles along the roadside.

Keshav Mandal from Janakpurdham-7 expressed concerns about security along with the lack of parking. "There is no parking arrangement. There is a problem of where to park the vehicles. On the other hand, incidents like vehicle theft and helmet loss also occur," he said.

In recent times, business, service, and tourism activities have been expanding in Janakpurdham. New offices have been added, private businesses have increased, and tourist arrivals are also on the rise. However, parking management has not developed at the same pace.

Dileep Goin, a bus driver from Maharashtra, India, who came to visit Janakpur, said that the lack of parking causes problems for tourists coming from outside. "It's difficult to even find a place to park the vehicle. Since there isn't enough space in dharamshalas or other places, parking becomes a problem, and we have to move vehicles from the road from time to time. It's not convenient even if we want to visit and stay. There should be a proper parking arrangement," he said.

Traffic jams are also increasing due to disorganized parking. Locals say that the risk of accidents has also increased due to the haphazard parking of motorcycles, autos, e-rickshaws, and four-wheeled vehicles along the roadsides.

According to Vijay Rai, Deputy Inspector of the District Traffic Police Office, Dhanusha, the lack of adequate parking space is the main problem. "Due to lack of space, disorganized parking is happening. We are trying our best to manage it. There isn't enough space even in front of the office. The local government also needs to prioritize its management," he said.

Although the responsibility of managing footpaths and removing encroachments lies with the local government and municipal police, the traffic police provide necessary assistance. "Removing footpaths is not our job. It falls under the jurisdiction of the local government and municipal police. We are providing necessary support," Rai said.

Traffic jams occur daily in busy areas of Janakpurdham such as Mahavir Chowk, Purano Bazaar, Sonarpatti, Machha Bazaar, and Pethia Bazaar due to disorganized parking. This affects the general public, traders, and passengers alike.

According to Deputy Inspector Rai, the shortage of manpower also adds to the management challenges. "Our numbers are low, and the area is large. It is difficult to reach and manage everywhere at once. However, we are working continuously," he said.

Vehicles are being parked even in no-parking zones on busy roads like Hospital Road, Ram Mandir Road, and Janaki Mandir Road. In the temple areas, the designated parking spaces have become narrow due to the operation of fruit, garland, and prasad shops. This sometimes leads to disputes between tourists from outside and local businessmen, according to local Niraj Jha.

Meanwhile, Parmeshwor Jha, spokesperson for Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, said that suitable locations for parking management are being sought. "We are studying various places for parking management. We are also preparing to manage footpath businesses. Management work will proceed soon," he said.

Parking management has emerged as a major urban challenge in Janakpurdham, which is developing as a provincial capital and a major religious destination. If coordination among the concerned bodies is not achieved to find a long-term solution, disorganized parking, traffic jams, and the hardships faced by the general public are likely to increase further.