Citizen Connect: Trucks parked along Cantonment Road affect traffic, owners say they have permission for it

Parking of trucks in no-parking zone on Cantonment Road at Pallavaram has become a never-ending problem for residents and motorists. Despite the traffic police putting up a board, several trucks and lorries are being parked at the end of the road, claimed residents.

Although they have complained about the issue to the local police, no action has taken against the violators, said residents who use the road daily. “As the Pallavaram bridge on GST Road is still under construction, vehicles travelling towards airport are being diverted through Cantonment Road. Apart from creating traffic jams, the trucks also pose danger to the school children,” said P Vasanthi, a housewife, who picks up her daughter from a school located on Cantonment Road every day. She also said that the area lacks traffic policemen.

A few truck owners, however, claimed that they have obtained permission from authorities to park their vehicles there. “The no-parking board clearly states that bikes and cars should not be parked. But it says nothing about lorries,” said S Marimuthu, a lorry owner, who parks his vehicle in no-parking zone on Cantonment Road regularly.

According to him, the local lorry owners’ association has g the required permission to park 25 vehicles in the area. “People are not aware of it and keep complaining against us,” Marimuthu added.

But, a traffic police officer attached to the Pallavaram station said that no such special permission was given to the lorry owners. “We do not give any certificate for parking,” the officer said.

When asked about the inaction by the officers to prevent parking in the space, the officer said that it was up to the senior officers to initiate action against the offenders.

M Gunasekar, an employee working at a private airline company in the Chennai airport said that the truck owners argue with the people who ask them not to park their vehicles in that area.

“Now, even a few private taxies are also being parked on the road, especially during afternoon hours. The authorities should act immediately to resolve this problem,” Gunasekar said.