Pondy Bazaar’s multilevel car park ticks all boxes, yet remains underused

Discover the benefits of parking at Greater Chennai Corporation's multilevel car park in Pondy Bazaar for convenience and safety.

Amid the familiar sounds of activity in Pondy Bazaar on a weekday, shopping goes on with cars being parked on either side of the road and buses battling their way through. However, a handful of clued-in shoppers, steering clear of the usual roadside parking, chose to drive into the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC’s) multilevel car park (MLCP) instead.

Built at a cost of ₹40.79 crore along the busy stretch, a digital signboard at the MLCP’s entrance flashes the number of available spots – 21 on level 1 alone. Most of the shoppers either pay ₹60 per hour for cars or ₹15 per hour for two-wheelers to park along the Pondy Bazaar stretch for convenience or simply because they are unaware of the MLCP, which, operators say, can accommodate up to 222 cars and 516 two-wheelers and allows free parking for up to three hours.

Moments later, a car entered the facility. Its owner Ganesh Ramamoorthy, from Nanganallur, says he always parked at the MLCP while visiting Pondy Bazaar for shopping, ever since it was inaugurated in 2021. “The biggest perk is that your vehicle stays absolutely scratch-free, which is not guaranteed when you park on the road...Moreover, you are not contributing to traffic woes...,” he says.

Bharath from Velachery, who initially wasn’t aware of the MLCP, said: “There is no space on the road; so, I came all the way down to park here. I did not even know that the MLCP existed, but it has turned out to be a pocket-saver. I also found out you can come shopping anytime as the facility stays open till 9:30 p.m., and allows extensions,” he says. He further says: “And the whole valet process takes no more than a couple of minutes, which is not the case when you are trying to find a spot to park on the roadside...”

An elderly couple from T. Nagar, Vasantha and Krishnamoorthy, returned to the MLCP to pick up their car. “We mostly park here because it is safe, and the vehicle has no scratch or dent. The system runs smoothly with sensors. It is automated, and has no malfunction. This facility was built for parking, yet it is mostly empty....So why not use it?” they said.

Entry and exit gates of the facility come with boom barriers. An operating personnel, who collects car keys, says: “On weekends, cars are even parked right at the entrances of the MLCP, making it difficult for regular customers. Eventually, many end up parking here only because the roads are choked. But on weekdays, the MLCP is far from a priority as only 40-50 cars avail of it. So, we have opened only one level today.” Despite the perks, Sridharan B., a resident of T. Nagar, pointed out how the Sir Thyagaraya Road remains crowded. “Shoppers should first try the MLCP, and park outside if the facility is full...But it has been the other way round...,” he added.