Tambaram Corporation Announces Major Multi-Level Car Parking Initiative
In a significant move to address chronic traffic congestion and rampant illegal roadside parking, the Tambaram Corporation has unveiled plans to construct two state-of-the-art multi-level car parking (MLCP) facilities. The projects will be strategically located along the heavily trafficked GST Road and in the eastern part of Tambaram.
Project Details and Budget Allocation
The civic body has allocated a substantial budget of ₹25 crore for these initiatives. Official tenders for the construction are expected to be floated imminently, with an ambitious target to make both facilities fully operational by the end of the current calendar year.
GST Road, recognized as one of Chennai's primary arterial roads, experiences extreme traffic pressure. Corporation estimates indicate that a minimum of 10,000 vehicles traverse this stretch every single hour. The current lack of adequate, designated parking spaces forces many visitors to eateries and shopping complexes to park illegally along the main road, directly contributing to frequent and severe traffic jams.
Design and Capacity of the New Parking Structures
The proposed MLCPs will be robust three-storey buildings, each featuring two additional basement levels. The detailed capacity breakdown is as follows:
- Car Parking: Each facility will offer space for approximately 40 cars, distributed across the two basement floors with 20 slots per level.
- Two-Wheeler Parking: The ground floor will accommodate 57 two-wheelers. The first and second floors will each provide parking for 78 bikes, and the third floor will have space for 103 two-wheelers.
Final parking charges for users will be determined and announced once the tender process is complete and all necessary land acquisition formalities are finalized.
Mixed Public Reaction and Official Response
News of the project has elicited a varied response from local residents and activists. Dayanand Krishnan, a prominent resident-activist, voiced concerns based on past experiences. "An existing MLCP in T Nagar remains largely underutilized due to prohibitively high maintenance costs associated with mechanical lifting and stacked parking systems," he stated. Krishnan warned that investing large sums in similar systems could result in wasteful expenditure and suggested the corporation should instead prioritize cost-effective two-wheeler facilities combined with simple ground-level car parking.
He further emphasized that the location of the MLCPs is critical, stressing they must be situated close to major shopping areas and have wide approach roads to ensure accessibility and usage.
In response to these concerns, a senior Tambaram Corporation official provided clarification. "Illegal parking has escalated rapidly, particularly in market zones and along the Velachery-Tambaram Road corridor. This issue was systematically monitored through our Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), and we received numerous complaints from the public," the official explained. "This persistent problem is precisely why we are moving forward with this project. We are committed to ensuring proper and sustainable maintenance once the facilities are operational."
The corporation's initiative represents a direct attempt to leverage infrastructure investment to solve a daily nuisance for thousands of commuters, aiming to decongest one of Chennai's busiest thoroughfares.
