CHENNAI: Every day, residents living in the streets surrounding Vadapalani Metro station - Mannar Street, NGO Colony, Valliammai street and Jeeva Street, to mention a few - wake up to cars and two-wheelers parked on either sides of the road, at the turn of the road or even outside their houses blocking the entrance.
“The Metro station does not have four-wheeler parking, so all the cars end up in our areas. Moreover, to avoid paying exorbitant parking charges in the mall nearby, visitors to the shopping complex too park their vehicles here,” rued R Shyamala, a resident of Mannar Street.
The Vadapalani Metro station is packed with at least 1,200 bikes on weekdays and it is one of the busiest Metro stations in the city. “At least 40-50 people ask us if there is four-wheeler parking,” said one of the workmen in Vadapalani parking lot.
Unlike other malls in the city where private players have opened parking spaces for budget-friendly parking, there is no such facility here. “We have vehicles here at all times of the day. In the evenings, some sit in the car, drink and create a nuisance. They pass comments at women. Tiffs between them and the men in our area have become common. We feel scared to step out of our homes after nightfall,” said Vimala Ramakrishnan, another resident.
A few residents have also tried flattening tires of the cars parked on the street. “One evening, an encroacher banged on the doors and created a huge scene. A few encroachers even threatened us. Numerous appeals have been sent to the officials and no action has been taken yet. We are scared in our own homes,” said 60-year-old Senthil Vijayakumar.
When contacted, one of the police officials in the area said they would look into the issue.