The number of authorised parking spaces in Chennai has come down drastically owing to Chennai Metrorail work.
The Chennai Corporation has been forced to reduce the number of parking spaces from 143 to 97 along various roads following a request from Chennai Metro Rail Limited and other departments that are using these spaces to execute infrastructure works.
Parking spaces along many roads in Anna Nagar, Royapettah, Teynampet, T.Nagar and George Town have been scrapped owing to this. The number of parking spaces is expected to come down further with different agencies urging Corporation to hand over space for completing their projects, official sources told The Hindu.
The development has also resulted in a dip in revenue from parking lots and has also increased parking problems faced by motorists on these stretches.The civic body has asked Tamil Nadu Ex-servicemen Corporation to maintain 353 additional parking spaces identified by the Traffic Police.
Officials said that despite Chennai City Traffic Police giving their nod for a list of new parking spaces on important roads, its field officers were opposing it. Another problem with automated meters is that they cannot accept the new size Rs.5 coins.
