Citizen Connect: Pavement becomes free parking lot for mall visitors at Tirumangalam

The one-kilometre stretch of GNT Road between Tirumangalam and Koyambedu flyovers is already narrow considering it handles the traffic of mofussil and the local buses, heavy vehicles carrying load to Koyambedu market apart from regular motorists. The stretch is unfriendly for pedestrians as there is a mall on one side and houses on the other side of the road.

Those on foot have to be cautious of vehicles passing by in maddening speed. On top of it, the pavements on either side of the road have become free parking lots for motorists who visit the mall, despite the pavement having been marked as tow area by the traffic enforcement police.

“Due to the poor monitoring by the traffic police, motorists park the vehicles outside the mall, hindering pedestrians as well as traffic in peak hours. Motorists are not ready to pay the huge fare for parking in the mall and pavements become their natural choice as the police do not check the spot regularly. I doubt there is an understanding between mall authorities and traffic police to allow parking on the pavement,” said Dunson, a resident of Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar.

VR Mall currently charges Rs 30 for two-wheelers for the first hour and Rs 20 for every additional hour. So, if somebody wants to catch a movie, he or she will have to shell out almost an equal sum as the movie ticket. According to Dunson, there is no hindrance of a traffic signal or speed breakers from Tirumangalam to Koyambedu, which makes the road dangerous. “Everyone wants to make up for the delay at this spot by speeding up their vehicles,” he said. Jagan, a motorist who passes by the mall everyday said that poor regulation by authorities concerned make motorists like him bear the brunt of it. “This stretch is also riddled with potholes and the Highway Department simply turns a blind eye on them,” he said.

When contacted, Tirumangalam traffic enforcement wing inspector Elangovan Nathan agreed that the stretch becomes chaotic in peak traffic hours and added that they have been trying their best to free the space for vehicles. “We have ordered for barricades at a cost of Rs 5 lakh with the help of sponsors. We will soon cover the pavement with barricades making motorists unable to use them to park their vehicles. It will very soon be implemented and the problem will be addressed,” he said.