The ‘stones’ come tumbling down on ECR

Those “stones” streaked in with the suddenness of meteoroids. And they came tumbling down just as meteoroids do. The exercise that ushered in those neatly-cut stones unravelled as rapidly as it had unfolded. Incredulous jaws dropped hit the ground on both occasions.

That is the impression left behind by the parking regulation exercise on East Coast Road that was dropped barely after being adopted. What are usually used as curb stones were grouted into the road to form a straight line parallel to the pavement to prevent parking. But if prevention of unauthorised parking happened, it did so only in the head. It continued on the ground. According to road users, the exercise only succeeded in extended parking into the carriageway. Motorcycles were parked in the space between the stones-defined line and the pavement. Cars were parked along the line, taking a bite out of the carriageway. At the most, it caused motorists some discomfort while parking.

Last week, the grouted stones were uprooted and they were lying fallen on their sides like soldiers brought low in a battle — a battle against unauthorised parking they hardly won while up and standing.

The parking regulation, experimental to the point of provocation, had been revoked. State highways sources reveal the exercise brought about opposition from the shop keepers and motorists: there were complaints about accidents happening on account of the upstanding stones, motorists “stubbing” their wheels against them.

The decision to do away with these stones’ service was widely hailed. To give an inkling of the sentiment, read an August 21-dated X post, whose screenshot has been shared with this article.

According to State highways sources, any stones that are still standing on ECR will also be removed. It is curtains for a parking regulation exercise that probably spent more time on the drawing board than on the road.

The sources say now they will do with traditional white line, quietly enjoining motorists to park within the line. No parking boards are coming up on sections of ECR.