COIMBATORE: Despite the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) completing all civil works at the new surface-level car parking facility near Media Tower junction at Race Course several months ago, the project remains unopened, leaving motorists grappling with worsening traffic congestion and chaotic roadside parking in one of the city's busiest recreational hubs.
The civic body developed the one-acre parking facility at Rs 99 lakh to address the long-standing parking shortage at Race Course, a popular destination in the city. The facility has the capacity to accommodate around 120 cars. The project commenced last year after CCMC officials cleared dense bushes and overgrown vegetation on the land behind Selva Vinayagar Temple near Media Tower junction. The site was subsequently levelled, paved with heavy-duty paver block tiles, and equipped with dedicated parking bays and street lights.
Although, the facility was built months ago and expected to be opened to public soon after, the inauguration was postponed following enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Even after elections, the facility has remained shut, with the delay continuing as the project had been executed under the previous DMK administration. In the absence of an operational parking lot, motorists continue to park their vehicles along the road, causing frequent traffic bottlenecks, particularly during weekends.
"The parking problem at Race Course has worsened over the past few weeks. We have no choice but to park on the roadside, even though we know it obstructs traffic. The new parking facility has been lying ready for so long, and it should be opened without further delay," said J Sebastian, a regular visitor to Race Course.
Another motorist, S Radha, said, "Finding a parking space here in the evenings is extremely difficult. Families, walkers and visitors all struggle. Opening the facility will make the area safer and more organised."
When inquired, a senior CCMC official acknowledged that the project had been ready for some time. "The works were completed a long time ago. Only a few final touch-ups were pending. Now, all work has been completed. A tender for identifying a suitable contractor is set to be floated on July 10 for leasing the facility. Once finalised, the facility shall be officially opened to public in the upcoming days," the official told TNIE.
