CHENNAI: Illegal parking on the roadside adds to the traffic woes of regular commuters and motorists of the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road.

Illegally parked vehicles cause obstruction and inconvenience during peak hours, creating long and severe traffic jams, lamented the motorists.

With Tambaram and Chromepet being the important junctions in the southern suburbs of Chennai, a lane of the GST Road is completely encroached by illegally parked vehicles.

The commuters claimed that four-wheelers parked on the roadside create road blockages during peak hours in the morning and evening. The road space is crunched to an extent that free vehicle movement becomes nearly impossible, resulting in increased frustration for motorists.

The commuters urged strict action by the traffic police against the violators to ensure hassle-free travel on the GST Road.

J John, a regular commuter from Tambaram, termed illegal parking on the GST Road a nightmare. We have made several requests to the Tambaram corporation and the police to take action, but the officials have not taken any steps yet, he added.

Commuters further stated that despite no parking boards being in place in some areas, a lack of strict enforcement is the major reason for illegal parking. Some vehicle owners reportedly park their vehicles for long hours every day, and no penalty is being levied on them for violation of the Motor Vehicle Act, they noted.

When questioned about this, a Tambaram police official

said, “We are working on preventing illegal parking on the roadside, and this cannot be materialised without the coordination of the local body. We have also sought help from the Corporation, and the parking issue will be resolved soon.”