Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai   

`Put up display boards with full details'

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

CHENNAI DEC. 2. The sudden hike in parking fee in the city has evoked mixed reactions. While some residents are unconcerned, a section of traders has demanded a rollback.

The Chennai Corporation move has also raised questions on facilities, including display boards bearing details of fees, demarcation of the parking area and availability of monthly tickets.

``They should ensure that the money reaches the government kitty,'' said Harsha Koda, a graphic designer.

The increase did not make any difference to him. ``I have been paying Rs. 10 at Pondy Bazaar for a long time. Since I insisted, they always gave me 10 one-rupee tickets.''

Even on Anna Salai (outside the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan), which is mostly full, cars were charged Rs. 10 each notwithstanding the time period, Mr. Koda said. The parking tickets guaranteed that the vehicles were not towed away. ``My vehicle was once towed away from Rattan Bazaar. Only after I produced the parking tickets, did they (the police) release the vehicle.''

Added to this was the issue of no-parking boards, which did not specify the extent of no-parking zones.

None of the lots in Chennai had display boards carrying details of parking fees and the extent of the area, said Mr. Koda.

While unregulated parking in designated areas was a long-standing problem, unauthorised parking along main roads, such as Adithanar Salai at Pudupet, only added to traffic congestion in the city.

Bhavesh Shah, a young entrepreneur in the R.A.Puram area, said ``the parking lots should be made safer.''

Cleaner and bump-free roads were far from reality in Chennai. ``The revenue collected should correlate with the services provided by the civic body.''

Corporation officials said boards with details of the revised parking fees would be installed at all lots. Already, boards were provided at 25 parking places. The traffic police were also demarcating the parking lots and the work would be over in two days.

The Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen's Cooperative, which had been awarded the parking contract, initially faced problems in finding sponsorship for the facilities, the Corporation officials said.

Monthly parking cards were, however, available with the attendants and were vaild only for the respective parking lots. There was no decision yet on extending the facility for the entire city, the officials added.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Tamil Nadu Merchants Associations urged the Corporation to reconsider increasing the parking fee. They said the hike would affect vendors and the middle class.

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