Absence of parking lots leaves vehicle users high and dry

Haphazard parking is the key reason for traffic bottlenecks in town on weekends

The absence of parking lots near the business hubs of Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kamaraj Salai and Anna Salai has become a major irritant for customers, especially during weekends and festivals.

People scrambled to find space to park their vehicles on these streets in the run-up to the Deepavali.

Four-wheeler riders were the most affected as they had to park their vehicles far away.

“I had to park my car on Rue Suffren the day before Deepavali to buy clothes and other materials from a shop on Jawaharlal Nehru Street. There was no space around to park my vehicles. Walking back with the materials and elderly persons is a difficult task, and I had to depend on an auto-rickshaw. The driver charged me ₹120,” said R. Sidharth, a resident of Muthialpet.

According to Elango, a resident of Vaithikuppam, the haphazard parking on several streets and main thoroughfares was the key reason for traffic bottlenecks in the town on weekends.

“Take, for example, the stretch on Kamaraj Salai. People park their vehicles on both sides blocking free flow of traffic. It is a regular sight on weekends as a lot of people coming from Chennai and Bengaluru take this route to reach the town.”

The place that was used to house the Old Jail Complex on Jawaharlal Nehru Street is now used as a parking lot, said a businessman.

The spot, he added, could not handle the volume of vehicles coming to the street and the adjoining places for shopping.

“We have been hearing about a multi-level parking lot coming up on the jail complex ever since the prison was shifted more than 12 years ago. We have seen reports in the newspapers several times about tenders being floated, but nothing has taken shape. Except for the traffic arrangements, including space for parking, near the beach, we are lagging in traffic management,” said the businessman, who owns a shop on Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Evaluation over

According to an official associated with the Smart Cities Mission, the evaluation of technical and financial bids was completed months ago for automated car parking lots in the old prison area and Old Port Complex near the beach. The lots could accommodate 200 vehicles each.

The administrative process for clearance was taking time, he said.

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