Open parking area at Nehru Shopping Complex adding to traffic chaos

The open parking area at Nehru Shopping Complex on Lawrence Road has become a hot spot for traffic chaos, courtesy inadequate management and exorbitant fees at the multi-storey parking lot.

Despite the availability of a dedicated parking facility, visitors prefer to park their vehicles in the open area as it is free, leading to congestion, gridlocks and frustration among drivers. The primary reason for this preference is the steep parking fee of up to Rs 50 for four-wheelers, which discourages people from using the multi-storey lot. However, regular visitors are charged Rs 30 for cars.

“The parking fee is too high, so people prefer to park outside, causing chaos,” said Ramesh Kumar, a local resident. “We urge the authorities to reduce the fee to make the multi-storey parking more accessible,” he said, adding that the purpose of these parking spaces is to decrease traffic chaos on roads and not to make contractors rich.

Commuters and shopkeepers alike are affected by the traffic mayhem, with many calling for urgent action to address the issue.

“The situation is unbearable, especially during peak hours,” said shop owner, Vineet. He added that they need a solution to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and safe parking. He complained that customers are afraid to visit the shopping complex because of the chaos here.

Residents have demanded that the authorities reconsider the parking fee structure to encourage visitors to use the multi-storey facility. The residents demanded that Rs 20 parking fee for four-wheelers and Rs 10 for two-wheelers should be fixed as the maximum in city.

Underutilisation of multi-storey parking space seems to be the norm in the city as the situation is similar at Deen Dayal Upadhay market near Hall Gate. The residents suggested that if such places are managed properly and an affordable fee is charged, then it could be of help in solving the problem of roadside parking of vehicles.