Haphazard parking mars the peace in Neelangarai

Haphazard parking mars the peace in Neelangarai

Residents of Kazura Garden at Neelangarai recall that it was a calm and unpolluted locality when they began settling in a few decades ago. Now, they have to bear with haphazard parking and battered roads.

The mushrooming of commercial establishments and corporate offices in the residential neighbourhood of Kazura Garden First Main Road has led to the persistent problem of visitors and employees using the road space for parking their vehicles.

Srilakshmi Mohan Rao, president of the Kazura Garden Residents’ Welfare Association, says the roads are treated like free parking lots, though some vacant land is also used for parking vehicles. People park their vehicles near houses instead of in the dedicated parking area as it is a little away. This practice has narrowed the road space and led to bottlenecks in the interior roads. “Driving around the parked vehicles is difficult. We shifted from city areas like Alwarpet and T. Nagar to a serene locality. But we have to endure vehicle pollution now. Heavy vehicles heading to private companies also damage the roads,” she says.

Residents say vehicles occupying public space prevent utility vehicles from efficient operation. K. Srinivasan, vice-president of the association, says the parked vehicles spill over to the Second Main Road and other interior lanes. “Many of us are often worried about going on morning walk because of rash driving as early as 7 a.m. Even speed-humps don’t deter them from over-speeding.”

Following representations to the government authorities, potholes on the battered stretches have been filled. The roads have been in poor shape for several months, the residents say. The association has moved various authorities, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, over vehicle and noise pollution and other issues like damaged roads and poorly maintained storm water drains. They want the commercial spaces to be shifted out of the residential area. Officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation say that they are coordinating with the traffic police to regulate parking in the area and steps will be taken to resolve the residents’ grievances.