Tondiarpet locals rue Haphazard parking near metro station
Two-wheelers and cars are parked on both sides of the Tiruvottiyur High Road due to the lack of a parking facility near the Tondiarpet metro rail station. The absence of a parking sign board raises safety concerns.
Two wheelers and cars parked on both sides of the Tiruvottiyur High road
CHENNAI: Unorganised parking management near Tondiarpet metro station has become a never-ending issue for the residents and commuters and they have raised complaints that the parking lot in the proximity of the bus stand has led to problems ranging from accidents, and traffic congestion to commotion while boarding buses and the officials despite being aware of this issue haven’t taken any action yet.
Two-wheelers and cars are parked on both sides of the Tiruvottiyur High Road due to the lack of a parking facility near the Tondiarpet metro rail station. The absence of a parking sign board raises safety concerns.
Elaborating on the difficulties the public faces, R Boopalan, a resident of Tondiarpet said, “The number of accidents has increased, and the officer goers and school students in the locality are facing inconvenience during the peak hours. In addition, many private buses, company buses, and other heavy vehicles are also parked here, without the knowledge of traffic police.”
The parking lot near the metro station lacks sufficient space and people are forced to park their vehicles on the roadside. The public complained that though the traffic police were aware of the issue, they failed to escalate the issue to the department concerned.
“The most unfortunate thing is the removal of the bus stop for the metro work. The passengers have no other option but to wait in the open space braving the scorching sun and rain. The school students, patients heading to government hospitals in the area, senior citizens, and differently-abled individuals are the most affected while waiting for their buses,” said G Geetha, a resident of Old Washermenpet.
She added, “If the department concerned sets up a parking lot for the metro rail passengers, the corporation will consider constructing a bus stop in the locality.” The residents have raised the issue to the traffic police, ward members, and zonal officials of Tondiarpet, but there has been no action taken so far, she added.
When DT Next contacted Ward 42 councillor M Renuka, she said, “We have received complaints regarding vehicles parked near the metro station. However, we are authorised to remove only the abandoned vehicles. We have informed the traffic police but no steps have been taken.”
“Many accidents have occurred and recently two civic officials also met with an accident near the metro station but no action from the traffic police to date,” the councillor added.