MC Road pedestrian plaza almost complete, but parking plan elusive

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) pedestrian plaza project on Monegar Choultry (MC) Road is nearing completion, but a key promise made to traders at the time of its launch in May 2024 remains unfulfilled. More than 2 years later, there is still no designated parking facility for shop owners, employees and customers, leaving thousands struggling to find parking space during the festival season.

Traders said that GCC officials had assured them that parking arrangements would be made as part of the pedestrian plaza project.

“We had asked for a parking space for two-wheelers belonging to shop owners, staff and customers. Officials assured us that designated parking would be provided under the plaza regulations. But nothing has materialised,” said R Mohamed Farook, secretary, Madras Washermenpet Cut Piece Cloth Merchants’ Association. “Officials recently informed us that a site near Anna Poonga has been identified for two-wheeler parking, but a final decision is yet to be taken.”

The MC Road and adjoining localities with nearly 2,000 shops is perennially overcrowded with pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Widening of footpaths on both sides has narrowed the carriageway, leaving little space for vehicles moving in opposite directions. Autorickshaws, two-wheelers and cars frequently cause traffic bottlenecks, while customers have resorted to parking on the footpaths, undermining the project’s pedestrian-friendly objective.

Traders have urged the State government and GCC to allocate funds and develop decentralised parking facilities at the northern, central and southern ends of the road. “A single parking facility at one end will be impractical for a commercial stretch of this length,” a trader told this reporter. “Land can be procured on a long-term lease, or bought from private properties to create adequate parking infrastructure.”

A senior Corporation official said that alternative sites were being explored but they faced resistance from users of Robinson Park. “We face opposition from people who use Robinson Park when we conduct ground inspections. We’re exploring other locations and need public support,” the official said.

Among the locations suggested by traders are vacant site on the BSNL office premises along MC Road, Kamaraj Park and its library, a portion of Robinson Park and vacant spaces within the Corporation office premises.

A Sham, a Royapuram resident, said, “We welcome the pedestrian plaza, but GCC should develop a multi-level parking facility to regulate haphazard parking on MC Road.”

Concurring with him was Royapuram MLA KV Vijay Damu, who piped in: “We do have some suggestions for a suitable parking space. We’ve proposed allotting a site near the compound wall of Robinson Park.”

GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran said that the Corporation would consult stakeholders and work towards a solution. “We’ll consult all stakeholders and find a solution to the parking issue on MC Road. The project works will be completed by the end of November,” he said.