Jaipur: The city is set for a major crackdown on the commercial misuse of parking and setback spaces in malls, with the govt preparing to clear shops, kiosks and other encroachments from ground-floor setback areas earmarked for parking at 12 malls.“A joint team of civic body officials and traffic police recently inspected these 12 malls and found parking spaces encroached upon. During the Traffic Control Board meeting Wednesday, it was decided that these encroachments would be removed,” a board member said.In the first phase, the inspection team identified two malls each in Jagatpura and Bais Godam. The remaining eight are located in C-Scheme, Lal Kothi, Raja Park, Malviya Nagar, Jhotwara, Ajmer Road, Mansarovar and Vaishali Nagar.Officials said the violations extend beyond setback areas. In several malls, basement parking has been converted into commercial space, with tea stalls, food kiosks and shops operating there, further reducing parking capacity. In one mall, a section of the basement parking has allegedly been leased to a bike rental agency.The Traffic Control Board also decided to launch drives against pavement encroachments by shops along key traffic corridors, including Khatipura Road, Queens Road between Purani Chungi and Prince Road, Durgapura Junction on Tonk Road, Jhotwara Road and Nirvaan Marg.For the first time, the board has classified 130 Saras dairy booths as encroachments, bringing them within the ambit of the proposed drive. Notices are expected to be issued before demolition action begins.“Soon, a series of anti-encroachment drives will be launched to improve traffic flow on these stretches and ensure safe movement of pedestrians on footpaths,” another official said.
