Haphazard parking of vehicles chokes traffic on this road at Uthandi

Haphazard parking of vehicles chokes traffic on this road at Uthandi

Residents of VGP Layout Second Main Road, Uthandi, are anxious about access to their roads after dusk, especially on weekends. Many people visiting the commercial spaces park vehicles on the roadside, curtailing the carriageway.

Its by-lanes are increasingly exploited commercially. S. Kesavaram, a resident, says the road serves as an access to other by-lanes such as Amirtha Street and Neela Street. Haphazard parking on the road has become an issue in the past two years.

The issue persists even after signboards were installed following complaints.

Residents often find it difficult to access the road and negotiate the stretch, he says. Residents say that the vehicles, parked often in double rows, result in a minimum of 10 minutes for the traffic to be cleared.

Shops have mushroomed at the end of the road, leading to the beach, and on the beach sands. Abirami Balaji, secretary, Society of Liberals Valuing Environment, a residents’ welfare organisation at Uthandi, says the society had earlier suggested that commercial establishments regulate parking with security personnel.

The shops along the beach and on the sands have added to the woes of residents. “The shops have led to littering along the beach front. Horses that are used for fun rides have also become a nuisance,” she says.

Raising concerns over safety, Ms. Balaji notes that several representations have been made in the past for regulating parking and for clearing shops that dump waste on the road.