Even as Tiruchirapalli City Corporation is planning a slew of measures to renovate and re-develop the over 70-year-old Gandhi Market, roads around the market continue to be constricted by encroachments by platform traders and indiscriminate parking of vehicles.
Taking cognisance of the congestion around the market, the civic body has planned to shift the onion and banana wholesale markets to Sengulam Colony market and Viragupettai overhead water tank complex.
The corporation has also turned its attention to the problem of vehicles being parked by visitors. It has decided to create two two-wheeler parking lots in an attempt to regulate the vehicle parking and to ensure that the disorderly parking of vehicles does not hinder traffic flow. The two temporary parking lots are to be established in front of the existing fish market and towards the East Boulevard Road up to Vazhakkai Mandi. The corporation has also fixed a parking fee of Rs. 2 for bicycles and Rs. 4 for motorcycles or mopeds for four hours. The fee was approved by the corporation council last week. An official resolution on the subject said it had become essential to regulate the parking of vehicles in the interest of traders and people visiting the market.
Welcoming the move, Rangarajan, a city resident who frequents the market, pointed out that all along visitors to the market had to park their vehicles on the roadside as there was no designated parking area. The one near War Memorial was always full. However, he insisted that the corporation take steps to regulate the parking of lorries transporting goods and strictly enforce the timings for their entry to the city.
The civic body has also decided to construct two permanent parking lots at the old slaughter house and diamond jubilee complex, which are to be renovated soon.
