ELURU: With shopping complexes, multi-storeyed buildings and function halls mushrooming in Eluru, soon to be a smart city, lack of enough parking space for vehicles is causing severe traffic snarls on its roads.
The multi-storeyed buildings are being constructed sans parking places, violating the rules to which the officials are turning a blind eye. In the busy Ramachandraraopeta area, many multi-storeyed buildings have come up but without adequate parking lots.
People are forced to park their vehicles on the roadside due to lack of parking place, occupying almost half of the road. And the municipal and police officials appear least bothered to respond to the problem. There is severe traffic congestion in Madhulatha Centre, Ramamahal Centre and Chintachettu Centre as vehicles are parked on roadsides.
Heart of the City, Powerpeta area has also no parking place. The busy Station Road, Kanukolanuvari Street and Bulusuvari Street are no exception. With major part of the road being occupied by the parked vehicles, traffic snarls have become order of the day. Even repeated complaints lodged by the citizens bore no fruit. Adding to the woes, the mechanic sheds in this area have become a big hurdle to the smooth traffic flow.
Abdul Razaq, a student, said that a big hotel was constructed in RR Pet recently with no parking place. “We are facing severe problem to cross the road. No official responded despite several complaints,” he said.
In One town area, the roads are dotted with many marriage halls like Biswanatha Kalyana Mandapam, Padarthi Kalyana Mandapam and Merchants Chamber Kalyan Mandapam complexes. During the marriage seasons, motorists are facing severe inconvenience as processions and parked vehicles choke the traffic.
When the Eluru Municipal Corporation was under the control of the Special Officer, the officials imposed fine on marriage halls for flouting the norms. Several marriage halls were locked up which were built violating the rules. Notices were also served to many multi-storeyed buildings owners to provide parking places.
But, after the elected Municipal Council took over the reign, things are back to square one.
K Krishnamurthy of Chintachettu Centre area said the multi-storeyed shopping malls and commercial complexes were creating severe traffic snarls as no parking place was provided. “The officials are issuing permissions to these buildings. However, the owners are constructing the buildings, violating the parking rules. This has lead to traffic woes in Ramachandraraopet Main Road,” he opined.
When contacted, Municipal Commissioner Y Sai Srikanth said: “We will concentrate on the parking lot issues soon. We will collect fine from building owners for violating the rules and if necessary we will lock up those buildings.”