V. Srinivasan is a stickler for safety. Before retiring for the night at his house in Ice House, he ensures the doors are bolted and the gate locked. Even before that, he does something that ensures the safety of his mini truck: he parks it at the Chintadripet MRTS parking lot.
“I leave my Tata Ace at 10 p.m. and take it out at 7 a.m.,” says Srinivasan who runs a travel and transportation business. Leaving my vehicle on the road is not safe and I prefer using the station parking lot, for which I pay a monthly rent.”
Lack of parking space at their houses and localities has led many residents go in for a monthly parking pass at MRTS stations to park their cars and other four-wheelers, at a cost of Rs. 2,500 per month.
At Chintadripet MRTS, where the new parking contractor started functioning from December first week, over 120 commuters have gone in for the monthly pass.
“We have at least 50 vehicle owners who avail night parking. Many of them probably don’t have parking space at their houses; some are night shift workers; and a few park here because they have gone out-of-station for a few days,” says A.T. Thirumurthy, parking contractor at Chintadripet station.
Covered parking space
MRTS stations with a covered parking area are quite popular, provided they have an authorised parking contractor.
At Chepauk station, over a dozen four-wheelers are parked at night. Those managing the MRTS parking lots at Thiruvallikeni, Mandaveli and Greenways Road claim that these facilities have good patronage at night.
The MRTS stations at Thiruvallikeni and Light House have gates that are locked after a certain time at night.
At Mandaveli station, four-wheelers cannot be parked for a day or two. That’s because the parking lot is full.
“Owners of all the 93 four-wheelers parked on the station premises have taken the monthly pass. A few car owners are on the waiting list,” says a staff manning the parking lot at the station.
There are takers for nightime parking at some of the suburban stations too. At Chennai Central station, for instance, there is a separate row for women to park there vehicle. Many of those availing the parking facility are people who are going out of station for a few days.
Many passengers feel if the parking lots at some stations are maintained better, they will invite greater patronage.
At Chintadripet station, the new parking contractor constructed sheds with asbestos roof for parking vehicles, but a major portion of the roof was damaged in the fury of cyclone Vardah.
“We have asked Southern Railway to fence the place and level the open car parking area, which will help us provide additional parking space,” says Thirumurthy.
