It is a testing time for devotees and residents of Amma Mandapam in Srirangam as they find it extremely difficult to walk or travel along the arterial Amma Mandapam Road due to indiscriminate parking of tourist vehicles including buses.
The huge influx of devotees has once again brought to the limelight the absence of a parking lot at Amma Mandapam, which is one of the most sought after attractions in Srirangam that houses the famous Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
Since the Tiruchi Corporation does not have a standard mechanism to provide space for parking, devotees park their vehicles all along the roadsides narrowing down the road for public transport. The problem is being felt from bath gate at Amma Mandapam to bus stop near Rajagopuram.
The problem reached an all time high on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the arrival of hundreds of devotees by cars, vans and buses to Srirangam.
The coincidence of holidays and the ongoing Vaikunda Ekadasi festival is said to be the main reason for the huge arrival of tourists to Srirangam. The current influx is expected to continue up to Sabarimala season that ends in third week of January.
Drivers park their vehicles on Amma Mandapam Road that leads to Sri Ranganatha Temple in Srirangam and Mamabazha Salai. A section of Ayyappa devotees follow the practice of cooking at the public places wherever they halt. It could be seen on Amma Mandapam road for the last three days.
Though the problem had been reported in the recent years, local residents said it has become a menace with a rise in the number of vehicles arriving Srirangam in November, December and January. The problem is acute during peak hours in the morning and evening.
“It is not easy to drive or walk along Amma Mandapam Road nowadays. We welcome devotees and tourists to Srirangam. But they should not obstruct public roads, affecting free flow of traffic,” says R. Rajesh of Srirangam.
Holding the Corporation responsible for the mess, he said it was its duty to provide parking lots to the tourist vehicles. It had not taken necessary steps to accommodate the vehicles.
Pointing the collection of entry fee to the outstation vehicles, the drivers said the corporation should have designated parking lots. They did not have options except to park along roadsides.
