MADURAI: Parking congestion continues to plague several busy commercial stretches in Madurai city, particularly around the Meenakshi temple and Periyar areas, despite the introduction of a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility at the Periyar bus stand complex.
Senior corporation officials said that while the MLCP facility near the Meenakshi temple receives considerable patronage, the Periyar MLCP continues to witness poor occupancy.
Lack of awareness among motorists and reluctance among daily commuters to use the facility due to unaffordable charges are among the major reasons cited for the low turnout.
The corporation operationalised the MLCP facility beneath the Periyar bus stand complex ahead of the election, even before the formal inauguration of the complex. According to Parklens, the private firm managing the facility, parking charges have been fixed under two categories.
Four-wheelers are charged `40 for the first three hours and `20 for every additional hour, while two-wheelers are charged `15 for the initial three hours and `10 for every subsequent hour.
Officials added that the corporation, in coordination with the city police, is planning awareness drives and stricter enforcement measures to discourage on-road parking and encourage motorists to utilise the Periyar facility.
The corporation had also proposed encouraging shopkeepers and employees in nearby commercial areas to park their vehicles at the MLCP so that selected roadside stretches could be regulated for paid parking. However, the plan has not gained momentum so far.
Illegal and unregulated on-road parking, meanwhile, remains one of the key reasons for frequent traffic snarls across the city. Roads including East and South Masi streets, Veli streets and Aavani Moola streets witness severe congestion during peak business hours, residents and activists said.
Though vehicle movement has long been restricted in the Chithirai streets surrounding the Meenakshi temple, parking pressure has shifted to nearby arterial roads. To tackle the issue, the Madurai Corporation and city police have implemented measures such as converting select stretches into one-way roads and introducing parking regulations.
City-based civic activist T Nagendran said the corporation must take concrete steps to fully utilise the Periyar MLCP and strictly curb illegal parking in busy areas. “Without effective enforcement, traffic congestion on Masi streets and surrounding commercial roads will continue,” he said.
Meanwhile, N Mahilarasan, a shop worker, said the daily parking expense at the facility discourages many workers from using it. “We end up spending around Rs 50 to Rs 75 a day for parking. For shop employees, it becomes an additional burden. Many also avoid it because they have to walk a long distance to reach their workplaces,” he added.