Confirming this, NMC traffic engineer Nasir Khan told TOI that some shop owners in the vicinity don't want the scheme as they feel it will hamper their business. "A major portion on both sides and pavements along the Sadar Link Road have been encroached upon by automobile repair shops," he said. From autorickshaws to trucks, one can spot mechanics repairing vehicles along this road during any time of the day.

Pedestrians find it difficult to use the footpaths as they have been allegedly encroached upon by the shopkeepers. Harried motorists want the stretch to be de-congested. "Authorities must take action to remove these encroachments which cause congestion during peak hours," they demanded.

Khan pointed out that in May this year, the then municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and commissioner of police Ankush Dhanvijay had conducted a joint operation to clear these encroachments. Later in early July, NMC had reintroduced the pay and park scheme at commercial places across the city, including the Link Road. The NMC also erected four pay-and-park signboards here. A couple of days ago, some miscreants removed these boards and the mechanics resumed their work.

However, the shopkeepers' association has opposed the pay-and-park scheme. A delegation of the Link Road Vyapari Sangh led by President CN Harsulkar met deputy mayor Sandip Jadhav on this issue. Maintaining that the parking scheme on the road has adversely affected their business, Harsulkar said the NMC should instead use vacant plots as parking spaces.

Blaming the civic body for not providing parking space for shop owners, Harsulkar said, "It is not possible for us and our employees to pay parking fees everyday. We oppose the move and it is NMC's duty to provide us a separate parking space." The association has also requested the civic body to study possibilities of setting up 'multi-level parking' system in the city.

Nasir Khan said his department has sent a complaint to additional deputy municipal commissioner, Ravindra Kumbhare, and "we have also approached commissioner of police, Ankush Dhanvijay, to deploy at least four police personnel on this road to ensure proper implementation of the pay-and-park scheme. We have also discussed the encroachment issue with the police officials. The cops have assured to take steps against these illegal shops. We will soon restart the scheme," said Khan.

According to DCP (traffic) Jivaraj Dabhade, if the pay-and-park scheme is implemented in this part of the city, it would solve congestion problem not only on Kamptee road but also at Residency Road.