Metro cancels monthly parking pass facilities at six stations

With limited parking facilities available in most of its stations, regular commuters have been struggling to find parking space for two-wheelers and cars as the available space is being taken up by monthly pass holders. “We are cancelling the issuance of monthly passes for both two-wheelers and cars at Nanganallur Road, Guindy, Tirumangalam, Anna Nagar East, Egmore, High Court and Mannady stations as regular commuters are complaining of unavailability of parking space,” said CMRL officials. In few stations like Nehru Park and LIC, the CMRL has stopped issuing monthly car passes while two-wheelers passes are continued to be issued.

“Parking lots in these stations fill up quickly in the morning with the monthly pass vehicles occupying most of the space that too all through the day. If some passengers come late and do not find space, they get agitated and enter into arguments with the in-charge. It is only natural, but we are unable to provide for everyone in the limited space we have,” the official said, adding that to check the rampant usage of the parking space by non-commuters, they had doubled the monthly parking fees in certain stations, including Tirumangalam, Anna Nagar East and Guindy. “We also made the payment of fees only through CMRL travel card in all the stations,” the official said. 

The official added that parking space at Tirumangalam station is being used by more than 10,000 passengers on a daily basis. “With such large number of people using the facility, many of them complain of non-availability of space to park their vehicles,” the official said, noting that at Mannady station, the locals are using the station as parking lots for the cars.

The monthly parking charges for two-wheelers vary from Rs 250 to Rs 1,000, while it is Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 for cars. The daily parking tickets range from Rs 10 to Rs 40 for two-wheelers and cars.