Street parking chokes Pondy Bazaar

Chennai: One of the city's busiest shopping hubs, Pondy Bazaar in T Nagar, continues to face congestion as motorists park haphazardly along the stretch, ignoring a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility nearby.On a weekday, at least 100 vehicles can be seen lined up on either side of the road, slowing traffic and forcing buses to navigate through narrow gaps. On Monday, nearly five to six feet of road space was further encroached upon by vendors, shop owners, and customers who park their vehicles here. This reduces the usable carriageway, bringing vehicle speeds down to less than 10km/h during peak hours.Meanwhile, an MLCP built by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) at a cost of 40.79 crore—offering free parking for up to three hours and accommodating 222 cars and 516 two-wheelers—remains largely unused. After three hours, motorists are charged 60 per hour for cars and 15 per hour for two-wheelers. Roadside parking, however, is free since the GCC has not appointed contractors to manage and collect fees in designated parking bays, where vehicles now spill beyond marked limits."We have lodged several complaints with GCC," said T Nagar residents' welfare association secretary A B Muthu Kumar. "Yet there is no parking regulation. Many shoppers park their vehicles in front of houses on Sivagnanam Street and Kannadasan Street and return after two to three hours. This issue needs to be addressed," he said.Traffic police officials acknowledge that the problem worsens during business hours when vehicles remain parked for long durations. "We fine at least 20 to 30 cars every day for illegal parking. Yet violations continue. From next week, vehicles parked haphazardly will be towed away," said a senior official.