Shoppers’ paradise sans parking lot

Singarathope, NSB Road, Big Bazaar Street and adjacent streets may be considered as paradise for shoppers. But, frequent traffic snarls, haphazard parking and wilful violation of traffic rules have made shopping an unpleasant experience for many of them.

According to a rough estimate, more than 30,000 people visit NSB Road and adjacent commercial thoroughfares daily. The number swells on Fridays and public holidays. Nearly one tenth of them use either two-wheelers or four wheelers to visit their favourite shops. Except a few, most of the new showrooms and restaurants have not provided space for vehicular parking. More than 99% shops in Singarathope do not have parking space not only for four wheelers but also two wheelers, resulting in motorists parking their vehicles at will. Many feel that the parking space provided by the new showrooms is insufficient to cater to the need of customers.

The Tiruchi City Corporation, which is supposed to provide public parking particularly in the absence of parking space by commercial establishments, does not have specific parking lots in Singarathope area. The space available at Super Bazaar is the only option for the shoppers to park their vehicles. But, it does not have mechanism to regulate the cars thereby creating avenues for the motorists to park vehicles wherever they find place.

Though the car owners, who have hired drivers, manage to move away from the parking lot at Super Bazaar, it is the self driving owners, who face the music. They often end up fighting with other car owners while moving their car from the parking lot.

Haphazard parking on the road of Super Bazaar and Singarathope reflects the intensity of the issue. In the absence of designated parking lots, the shoppers simply park their vehicles on the road.

With motorists struggling to find space, and vehicles parked indiscriminately on roads, traffic moves at a snail’s pace from morning to night. It becomes worse during peak hours.

“There is no second opinion that motorists have to ensure free flow of traffic by adhering to parking rules. But, where will they park when majority of the shops do not have parking lots,” says M. Selvakumar of Srirangam.

While agreeing to the sufferings of shoppers, Tiruchi Corporation officials said that the issue was top of the agenda of Tiruchi Smart City project. A workable solution would be found to the issue during the implementation of the project.


There is no second opinion that motorists have to ensure free flow of traffic by adhering to parking rules. But, where will they park when majority of the shops do not have parking lot.

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