MLCP functions but people continue to park on street in pedestrian plaza, Pondy Bazaar
New tenders rolled out for MLCP, bid closes on Aug 8
Despite making parking inside the multilevel car park in Pondy bazaar in T. Nagar free of cost, patronage for it is abysmally low.
Several two wheelers were parked along the entrance to the parking lot on Sunday evening.
The Greater Chennai Corporation rolled out a tender inviting bidders to operate the multi-level car parking (MLCP) at T. Nagar, Zone 10, for public use for six months. Tender for Rs. 33.7 lakh (incl. GST) was published online on August 1, closing on August 8. Notably, no details on eligibility was mentioned in the tender.
A car shrouded in blue sheets has been parked for several days at the entrance to the MLCP. Personnel currently manning the MLCP said the vehicle had developed a snag and had been left there.
On Lakshmikanthan Street two-wheelers and cars were parked along the boundary wall of the Corporation Shopping Complex.
Khaja Moideen, a trader in the complex and the president of one of the seven associations of street vendors who had been relocted in the complex, said: “We don’t have to use the MLCP as the Corporation has provided ample parking space within the complex. Unfortunately, the entire space has been encroached by the flower vendors and we are forced to park elsewhere.”
According to him all the two-wheelers parked outside the building could be accommodated inside the complex if the encroachers were removed. “We have given several representations to the Corporation. The garland shops have been given space within the complex, but they have usurped even the common areas,” he said.
A.V Venugopal of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) suggested pricing and managing on street parking in streets around the MLCP and ensuring the parking prices on street are higher than that of the MLCP.
He said there may be no charges for those parking their vehicles in the interior lanes of T. Nagar, hence the issue of roadside parking or on sidewalks may still be prevalent. But it would force pedestrians to walk on the carriageway, which is dangerous. On workers wanting parking spaces close by he said, “This is not advisable for them to normally park in front of the shop they work itself because there are long term duration parking people and must be slightly away from the workspace, as per parking policies.”
Encroahcmnet of the roads leading to the pedestrian plaza on Thiagaraya Road by hawkers is an issue, Mr. Khaja said. On Saturday morning, the Corporation officials removed the shops on Sivaprakasam Road but they were back in the evening. “Police and the Corporation should implement the no hawking zone religiously. They should raise the level on Thiagaraya Road and prevent the shops from taking over the road,” Mr. Khaja said.
“The Corporation should introduce a rule that vehicles must be parked only inside the complex. The flower shops have influence in every political party, and we cannot do much,” he rued.
Read Comments
- Copy link
- Telegram
READ LATER
Remove
SEE ALL
PRINT
Related Topics
Chennai Corporation
/
road transport
/
civic infrastructure