Commuters in a quandry owing to paucity of space to park two-wheelers inside bus stand

Parking of two-wheelers inside the main bus stand is increasingly becoming difficult due to lack of space.

Parking of two-wheelers inside the main bus stand is increasingly becoming difficult due to lack of space.

Given its current capacity, paid parking at a time is possible for around 400 two-wheelers in a covered area inside the bus terminal. Those who are managing the parking lot say on any given day they will send back at least 200 motorists due to lack of availability of space. Two-wheeler users are pushed with no other choice but to park their vehicles on the side of Ayyanar Koil Street, adjacent to the parking lot.

Some of them also park the vehicles on the front side of the bus stand. On several occasions in recent days, the Ayyanar Koil Street had got choked with vehicles causing difficulties to residents in the nearby areas.

According to an official in the Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation, their drivers complain about the hardships they face to take the buses to the depot on Ayyanar Koil Street because of haphazard parking of two-wheelers on the stretch.

“On most days the entrance to the Ayyanar Koil Street will be filled with two-wheelers. The parking of bikes on one side of the street makes it difficult for residents to commute by car. It turns a chaos on the street if a PRTC bus comes to the depot.,” a resident said.

Independent legislator Nehru alias Kuppusamy said the issue has been taken up with the Municipality and the Traffic police. “Even a week ago, I have raised the issue with the traffic police. Lack of parking space inside the bus stand was raised in the Assembly. It is getting chaotic every day. The parking lot must be improved, or alternative paid parking arrangements should be made till the modernisation plan of the bus stand materialises,” he said.