As if the lack of adequate infrastructure was not enough, the delay in issuing parking contracts at railway stations is compounding the woes of commuters.
The absence of parking contractors at several MRTS stations has forced many office-goers to take their two-wheelers to office rather than parking them at unmanned parking sheds before boarding the train.
Commuters have been complaining about the absence of parking contractors for more than two months at railway stations including Thiruvanmiyur, Kasturibai Nagar, Kotturpuram and Taramani.
More recently, the Perungudi station too has been deprived of a parking contractor.
M. Suryanarayanan of Annai Indira Nagar in Velachery, said the absence of a parking contractor at the station had forced him to park his vehicle near the Velachery railway station. According to Raghuraman, who commutes by MRTS regularly, a few cases of two-wheeler theft had taken place at the ‘covered’ parking yard at the Kasturibai Nagar station.
No action initiated
Despite many complaints to the Southern Railway administration over several months, steps had not been taken to appoint a parking contractor, he said.
While officials of the Southern Railway pointed out that there were few takers for the tenders for parking contractors, commuters suggested the railway authorities take over the daily operation of the yards.
At Chintadripet station, a parking contractor was recently appointed and car owners in the area, who do not have enough space near their homes, were allowed to make use of the facility on a monthly basis at a rate of Rs. 2,500.
A senior official of the Southern Railway said that at present, four railway stations did not have parking facilities, while tenders had been called for two other facilities. He said a total of 16 stations had parking yards on the MRTS stretch.
