Wokha Shop Owners Hit Hard by Roadside Parking Ban

Kohima: Shop owners in Wokha are fuming. A new no-parking rule between Police Point and Mother Church is killing their business. Trade is drying up fast. Owners report that customers avoid the area because they cannot park their cars nearby.

To enforce the ban, officials dumped stones along the roadside. These rocks do more than block cars. They force pedestrians, including students and churchgoers, to walk in the street. The layout is a mess.

Small shopkeepers feel the pinch. Many now struggle to pay rent or cover basic household bills. While traders admit traffic safety matters, they argue this specific stretch rarely sees heavy jams. Business is suffering for no good reason.

One merchant told the Nagaland Post that the current arrangement has had "unintended consequences for local commerce."

The merchants want a compromise. They are calling on local authorities to allow parking on at least one side of the road. A review of the current policy could save their bottom line.