With about one and a half crore vehicles, parking is a big problem in Kerala. As there are very few parking facilities in cities and towns, the same roads where vehicles are supposed to run have to be used for parking as well. The introduction of fines for illegal parking as part of strict enforcement of traffic rules has really put vehicle owners in trouble. Vehicle owners hit the road with their vehicles by paying all the taxes required by law. Those who put up no-parking signs along the road are not able to point out where the vehicles should be parked. This is because there are no parking facilities available even in cities.

The government, the municipal corporation, and the town planning department are not helping the vehicle owners by constructing planned parking centers. This is their responsibility but what if they insist on not taking any action? We know that no one can create parking facilities to keep pace with traffic, but shouldn't at least cities have such systems? Although it is included as a major thing in the annual budgets, no follow-up action is ever taken. Vehicle owners have to drive around the cities looking for spots. Many people have the experience of having to park their vehicle in a deserted place and reach their destination by walking or taking an auto.

Parking centers have never been considered an indispensable requirement by urban planners. If the vehicle is marked with a government tag, it can be parked anywhere. Law enforcers will also turn a blind eye. Even from the AI ​​cameras installed to extort huge amounts of money from vehicle owners, the government has made provisions to protect the government vehicles and the dignitaries traveling in them. It is only the ordinary people who have to obey any law.

What will motorists do when all major roads in cities become no-parking zones? Nowhere else in the world will you see vehicles that are put on the road after paying heavy vehicle tax and insurance fees, having to pay heavy fines for every trip as well.

The first thing to be done by those who are going to strictly implement the parking ban is to provide minimum facilities for parking. It should not be like the parking center set up by the corporation at Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram. A total of twenty cars can be accommodated in the five-storey parking center which was built at a cost of over twenty crore rupees. A portion of the larger cars will stick outwards once it is parked as well. This is how construction skills are shown now. As the standard of living increases, the travel needs of the people will also increase. There are very few people in the state who do not own any vehicles. The roads must be big enough for them to run. Cities and towns need lots of parking space as well. It is up to the government and local bodies to facilitate it. Vehicle owners should not be seen as mere victims to extract fines to fill the exchequer.