KOCHI: Autorickshaws cannot be allowed to unauthorizedly park on public roads for the reason that such a practice has been followed for several years, said the high court.
Justice Devan Ramachandran said in a judgment, “I cannot see how the operators of autorickshaws can insist that they be allowed to unauthorizedly park in any area on the strength of their assertion that they have been doing so for the last several years.”
The court was considering a petition by a shop owner in Erumeli in Kottayam alleging obstruction to ingress and egress of his customers by unauthorized parking of autorickshaws. Even though the area has not been notified or reserved as an autorickshaw stand, various autorickshaws are being parked on a constant basis, he had contended.
A counsel representing some autorickshaw owners intervened and submitted that they have been parking at the spot for more than 30 years. Though the court asked under what authority they were doing so, the counsel could not give an answer.
The court said if the autorickshaw owners have a case that they have been parking at the space for many years and have a right to do so, or if they need an alternate parking space, they should approach the secretary of Erumeli grama panchayat with an application, the court said. Until they get necessary permission to park their vehicles, police should ensure that no such parking is allowed in the area, the court directed.
