Despite the establishment of a multi-level parking lot, roadside parking of vehicles continues unabated on West Boulevard (WB) Road in Tiruchi.
The parking lot set up near the District Central Library on WB Road was developed by Tiruchi Corporation at ₹20 crore under the Smart Cities Mission with facilities to accommodate around 130 four-wheelers and 530 two-wheelers. The project, which was initially scheduled to be commissioned in September 2021, was delayed owing to a fund crunch and the Covid-19 pandemic.
When the project was announced in 2019, it evoked keen interest among vehicle users, who find it difficult to park their two and four-wheelers in the absence of a designated parking facility in the Singarathope area.
Most of the buildings, including textile showrooms, do not have designated parking areas, forcing the customers to park their vehicles along narrow and congested roads, causing traffic bottlenecks. The employees and workers of commercial establishments and showrooms, who do not have designated parking areas, expected that the multi-level parking lot would come as a big relief to them.
Although the facility was inaugurated in December 2023, it remains underutilised, and road users continue to park their vehicles along Big Bazaar Street, WB Road and Main Guard Gate, hindering the free flow of traffic.
The civic body fixed ₹10 and ₹50 as user fees for parking two-wheelers and four-wheelers, respectively. According to a source, customers pay around ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 a month to park their cars in private spaces. As per the tariff fixed by the Corporation, they may have to pay more than ₹5,000 a month in these parking lots.
“Even though the parking lot has adequate space and facilities, four-wheelers are seen parked on the road for hours during the day. With vehicles occupying half of the road, navigating the stretch has turned into a nightmare for motorists,” said M. Ashwin, a commuter.
Road users said the traffic police should restrict on-road parking and penalise the violators to prevent frequent traffic congestion.
As announced, the civic body would soon declare WB Road as a ‘No Parking Zone’ to decongest the area. “The move would encourage the road users to utilise the facility to park their vehicles instead of parking on roadsides leading to frequent traffic congestions,” said a senior Corporation official.
