Bhind Municipal Council Issues Ultimatum to 12 Banks: Provide Parking or Relocate

भिण्ड | दीपेंद्र बौहरे

Banks Given Final Warning Over Traffic Congestion

The Bhind Municipal Council has issued a final warning to twelve major bank branches in Bhind city that are causing traffic congestion on city roads. The Chief Municipal Officer (CMO) Virendra Chakravarti has directed bank managers to immediately arrange for separate parking spaces for their customers' vehicles.

If this arrangement is not made, they will be forced to relocate their branches away from main thoroughfares. This action has been taken to streamline the city's traffic system. This is not the first time the municipality has alerted banks on this issue.

Previously, on September 23, 2026, a letter was issued expecting banks to improve their parking arrangements. However, even after the deadline passed, no effective steps were taken by the banks in this direction. CMO Virendra Chakravarti stated that even today, the uncontrolled and haphazard parking of vehicles outside bank premises on roads is causing severe obstruction to the movement of general pedestrians, schoolchildren, and emergency services like ambulances.

Prominent Banks Among Those Noticed

The second and final notice issued by the municipality includes the names of major bank branches located on various busy routes of the city. These prominently include the main branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) at Parade Chowk and Lashkar Road. Additionally, notices have been sent to the Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Central Bank of India's Etawah Road branches, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) office located in Bhagwati Complex, Nagrik Sahakari Bank (Bhagwati Complex), and Union Bank of India (Bangla Bazaar).

ICICI Bank, UCO Bank, Axis Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), and Bank of India located on Lashkar Road have also been included in this list. Due to the disorganized parking of vehicles outside all these bank branches, traffic jams are a constant occurrence on the roads, causing considerable inconvenience to commuters.

Previous Notices Ignored

The Bhind Municipal Council had previously instructed banks to comply with traffic rules and improve parking arrangements. The first notice issued on September 23, 2026, aimed to make banks aware of their responsibilities and provide them sufficient opportunity to improve their disorganized parking policies.

However, in the absence of the expected positive response, the banks did not take any concrete action within the timeframe set by the administration. Due to this oversight, the municipality has now been compelled to take strict action. Chief Municipal Officer Virendra Chakravarti emphasized that the administration's goal is to ensure smooth traffic flow in the city, and any obstruction will not be tolerated.

Legal Action Threatened

CMO Virendra Chakravarti has issued a clear warning that legal action will be taken against the concerned banks for obstructing public traffic and negligence in this matter. He stressed that if parking arrangements are not rectified with immediate effect, the respective bank management will be solely and fully responsible for any future legal complications or accidents.

This move by the municipality is part of broader efforts to effectively manage the city's traffic system. Through this action, the administration aims to ensure that commercial establishments understand their responsibilities and do not contribute to public disorder. It remains to be seen how the bank managements will respond to this warning following the municipality's firm stance.

The local administration has made it clear that encroachment and traffic congestion on public routes will no longer be tolerated. This notice issued by the municipality is considered a bold step towards bringing about a significant change in the city's traffic management. If bank managements fail to ensure proper parking arrangements in a timely manner, the Municipal Council will be fully authorized to take further strict legal action as per rules.