Lined with outlets of many international brands, Khader Nawaz Khan Road draws the rich and the fashionable. Needless to say, cars swish in and out of this road, which is called the High Street of Chennai. And, with the cars, come a problem.
Many of those visiting the shops on Khader Nawaz Khan Road end up having to leave their cars on the road, as they don’t find parking space.
Yes, there is a multi-level parking facility at Wallace Garden off Greams Road, but many of those visiting Khader Nawaz Khan Road say parking there is not convenient for those who want to shop close to Nungambakkam High Road. C. Ramesh Kumar, a customer, whose car was locked by the Chennai Traffic Police, says, “Guards of the big bungalows on roads leading off Khader Nawaz Khan Road don’t allow you to park your vehicles there. We can understand if the vehicle is blocking their entrance. But what is wrong in parking vehicles along their compound walls? There are spaces where parking is possible, but these spaces are ‘governed’ by unauthorised agents who charge Rs. 20 per hour.” A few customers pointed out that the portions in front of many shops that have been converted into gardens, could be used instead for parking.
“The space is wasted on unnecessary ornamentation. Parking should be given priority. Moreover, only a few of these gardens seem to be well-maintained,” says one of the customers at a shop.
An owner of a shop says, “Many are not aware that on this road, parking is allowed on the right side of the road (from Nungambakkam High Road). There is no signboard to indicate this.”
