Ranchi: What should be one of Ranchi’s most serene public spaces is increasingly struggling to shed its infamy of being a traffic bottleneck. Illegal roadside parking, encroachments and the absence of adequate designated parking around Ranchi Lake (Bada Talab) often leave commuters and visitors frustrated.Although the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has 54 authorised parking zones across the city, residents said poor enforcement and encroachments at several designated sites have rendered many of them ineffective.The problem is particularly acute around Ranchi Lake, where the only authorised parking facility is near the main gate. As a result, vehicles line both sides of the surrounding roads, reducing carriageway width and leading to frequent traffic snarls, especially during office hours, weekends and festivals. When it rains, the situation turns messier as the area turns into a cesspool due to lack of proper drainage.Commuters said the haphazard parking often leaves barely enough space for two vehicles to pass simultaneously, resulting in long queues and unnecessary honking. Pedestrians, including morning walkers, elderly citizens and families visiting the lake, are forced to walk on the carriageway due to vehicles occupying road shoulders. Emergency vehicles also struggle to negotiate the congested stretch during peak hours, residents claimed.Shopkeepers and local residents said the chaos has also affected the lake’s ambience. “People want to come here to relax, but the surroundings resemble an unregulated parking lot. Visitors often avoid stopping because they fear getting stuck in traffic or finding no place to park,” said Nirmal, a local resident at the lake viewpoint.Many residents have demanded that the civic body develop a legal parking facility on the Marwari College side of the lake as well, arguing that dispersing vehicles between two parking points would ease congestion and improve accessibility from different parts of the city.Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Kumar said a legal parking zone has been proposed on the road towards Marwari College.“We have received concerns regarding congestion around the lake. The proposal for a designated parking area on the Marwari College side is under consideration. A review of traffic choking points and encroachments will be conducted on Monday, following which necessary measures will be taken,” Kumar said.
