CHENNAI: Since 2011, when the city corporation’s limits expanded from 176sqkm to 426sqkm,traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces among other problems have troubled residents.
Now, as they get ready to vote in a new Greater Chennai Corporation council, residents hope their representatives will resolve these issues. Earlier, councillors had promised at least five multilevel car parking lots and on street parking. A few projects have been implemented and more than Rs 500 crore spent but the issue remains, mainly due to lack of lack of planning and
coordination with end-users. Commercial establishments in places like T Nagar, Royapuram,Sowcarpet, Pursaiwalkam and Velachery hardly provide parking spaces and as a result eveninterior roads are choked during peak hours. T Nagar resident Kannan B said the once residential area had turned into a commercial hub where customers park vehicles in front of houses andleave for shopping.
“We are unable to move vehicles in or out for basic needs. Our entire pathway is blocked and the corporation and traffic police don’t take the responsibility to clear it,” he said.
In North Chennai’s Perambur, where metro rail work has begun, the community welfare brigade plan to send a list of demands to the councilor candidates including dedicated parking slots for two-wheelers and cars.
A metro like Chennai, which would need about 6,500 buses to achieve a reliable quality of service in coming years, currently only has about 3,500 and would need to disincentivize use of private vehicles through parking and congestion charges, say experts. Unless a majority of the population make public transportation the primary mode of travel, the situation is only going to get worse, says Santhosh Loganathan, deputy manager, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).
“For that kind of a behaviour shift to happen, having a well-integrated(in terms of fares and modes),well connected public transport system with a robust first and last mile connectivity is the only way. The city needs to take a transit-oriented development approach so more people live close to rapid transit. ”
K Ezhumalai, DMK candidate from Pondy Bazaar, says smart city projects implemented lacked stakeholder opinions. “We need to take them into confidence and implement solutions they would use. We plan to speak to residents and work on solutions that will help them,” he said.
In 2017, after the Madras high court ordered the closure of hotels and restaurants without parking space, notices were served and some establishments sealed but customers continue to park vehicles on roads. Nanganallur resident V Rama Rao says stringent laws should be implemented. “CMDA should also not allow construction activities where parking spaces are not adequate. ”
