Paucity of space at the parking lot in Central bus stand is hampering the operation of buses at the bus stand. Though the existing multi-storeyed two-wheeler parking lot at the bus stand was constructed only a few years ago, it is already struggling to accommodate the vehicles swelling in numbers by each passing day.
The parking lot is almost always brimming to its full with the two-wheelers parked by commuters who go out of the city for various purposes on a short trip. This pressure on space makes it difficult for the commuters to find a place for parking their vehicles in a safe and secure environment. The problem gets worsened during weekends when a large number of passengers go by buses to their native places after parking their two-wheelers at the bus stand. The passengers, who find no place in the stand, park their bikes in open spaces inside and outside the bus stand, causing traffic snarls.
Moreover, they also park their vehicles in a haphazard manner. Vehicles parked outside the bus stand on open places hinder the free movement of buses, cars, and other vehicles in the bus stand areas. Those who man the parking lot are sometimes constrained to close the gate of the parking area as it overflows with two-wheelers which again leads to heated arguments between the commuters and these workers. “I find it extremely difficult to park my two-wheeler on weekends. I am often forced to park my vehicle on the open space nearby. The vehicle gets exposed to sun and rain. Moreover, safety too is a huge question,” says M.Habibur Rahman of Edamalaipattipudur. Many of the regular users have demanded that additional parking lots must be constructed immediately taking into consideration the present and future needs of the commuters. The Tiruchi Corporation authorities said the issue would be sorted out soon as it had been planned to construct additional parking stand. A sum of Rs.64 lakh has already been allocated for the project, they said.