New Traffic Rules in Manipal

Do you notice anything in this picture? (Besides the fact that it’s blurry ..couldn’t help that, the phone cam)

If you’re thinking the roads look empty, then yes you are correct.  This was taken @ about 9:00 AM.  The Manipal Police have finally grown a pair … of common sense and realized that people parking all over the road wasn’t a good idea. 

As such now they’ve implemented a system where in they will put wheel clamps on illegally parked cars or bikes on the side of the road.  This can only be removed by heading to the police station and paying the Rs 500 fine.  

 The is FANTASTIC! I can now drive around town and to work WITHOUT getting caught in a traffic jam.  Everyone (I’m included) used to park our bikes / cars on the road next to the curb.  This made the already tiny two lane road into a one lane road.  Now the cops are driving around all day and the shop keepers will warn you also for the same.  

I whole heartedly support this procedure, even with the major short coming that I’m going to mention. “Lack of proper parking spaces in Manipal“.  It would have made more sense had they first looked into the problem by making a proper designated parking spot for the thousands of cars in Manipal.  Now the cars are jam packed in the KMC Hospital parkings, around and in MIT, Manipal parking lot.  So now parking lots that have been designated for staff, patients and students will be unavailable for them as they will be filled by individuals who need a place to park so they can shop or have food at one of the many restaurants in the street.  So it’s almost become a two edged sword with good and bad points.  If only they had thought things through a little more before they implemented this it would’ve been such an awesome transition.  As I always say “Common sense isn’t as common”.