Haphazard parking of vehicles adds to traffic woes in Tiruchi

Indiscriminate parking on the approach roads to Melapudur subway in Tiruchi has been hampering the vehicular traffic, besides posing a threat to pedestrians

Indiscriminate parking on the approach roads to Melapudur subway in Tiruchi has been hampering the vehicular traffic, besides posing a threat to pedestrians.

With the roads being a crucial link to several educational institutions, places of worship and crowded residential areas, it is a busy junction with autorickshaws, cars, vans, buses, and two-wheelers crossing it.

Traffic snarls turn acute during peak hours and parking of vehicles on either side of the roads, which house many commercial establishments, add to the woes of the public. In the absence of designated spots, roadside parking has become the norm and the “no parking signs” are not a deterrent. This has raised safety concerns among road users. “Narrow roads and haphazard parking have turned driving into a nightmare. Many shoppers park their vehicles wherever open space is available on the road,” said S. Thangadurai, a motorist.

According to road users, an effective traffic management plan should be employed to regulate the flow of traffic. “As the route connects some of the important parts of the city, the maximum movement of vehicles is on the stretch and due to the frequent traffic congestion, it becomes difficult for the motorists,” said G. Vincent, a city resident.

A senior police official said: “We are focusing on parking rule violations and are clamping locks on vehicles parked in no parking spots to make space available for traffic flow.”

The civic body has resorted to evicting encroachments and reclaiming roads and pedestrian pathways on major commercial roads in the city, a senior official with the Corporation said.