As the festive season nears, the inability to regulate street parking in key areas, including shopping hubs like T. Nagar and Purasaiwalkam, has made it difficult for residents to leave their homes, said residents across Chennai.
Manjula, a resident of Guindy, said that when she travelled to T. Nagar for shopping, she was not aware of the multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility and ended up parking on the road, as there is a lack of awareness about such facilities among people outside T. Nagar.
There are no MLCP facilities in key areas like Parrys or Purasaiwalkam, and narrow lanes are often occupied mostly by parked vehicles, which increased after GCC made on-street parking temporarily free, she said. “Even a small lane such as Vandikaran or Senjiamman Koil Street in Maduvankarai, Velachery, is filled with parked vehicles. One has to roam at least a kilometre to find a safe parking space, and that will also be on the street. Neither the police nor the Chennai Corporation have paid attention to this issue despite repeated complaints,” she said.
Arjun, a resident of T. Nagar, said that the MLCP, which had been non-operational for many months, began functioning a few days ago, but was not well advertised by the GCC. Since people are not aware it is open, many continue to park on the streets, especially in the interior lanes of Pondy Bazaar. “Only the floating population mostly populates the main roads. But it is the smaller lanes that are more affected. Traffic usually diverts to these smaller roads to avoid congestion on the main road. If the narrow lanes become narrower due to vehicles parked on the sides, commuters will find it difficult to navigate, and congestion will increase instead of reducing,” he added.
J. John, AIADMK councillor for Ward 84, stated that on-street parking in the interior lanes is primarily used by middle and low-income groups who can afford only second-hand vehicles, but may not have parking space at their small residences. “Due to vehicles parked on the roadside, including autorickshaws, the road carriageway is reduced – for instance, if the road is 50 feet wide, it may be reduced to 30 feet because of parked vehicles,” he said.
“The commuters are affected by this. However, it should also be noted that many people are already burdened with taxes and other expenses, so fining them would be an added financial strain. But, the police and the GCC can ensure there are sufficient parking spaces for these people,” he added.
A senior official in the police department stated that the main roads, particularly in commercial areas, are prioritised by the traffic police to ensure minimal disruptions, and efforts are being made to identify spots in the interior lanes where issues arise due to roadside parking. Nanganallur and T. Nagar are among the key areas where the police are focusing their attention, he said.
Additionally, during festive seasons, the feasibility of integrating temporary parking in open spaces, such as parks, is being explored to accommodate the parking needs of commercial zone crowds. Ways to manage parking in residential areas are also being studied, the official added.
A senior authority with the State government mentioned that a plan has been devised by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) and the GCC. This plan includes the introduction of an app-based parking scheme, demand-based pricing, area-level management plans, and other initiatives with technical support from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India. “The issue is particularly problematic during the festive season. The GCC and police are the responsible body and is working to improve the situation. A trial to implement the plans for regulating parking across the city is set to begin soon,” he said.
Published – October 19, 2025 06:55 am IST
