With huge traffic congestion on the roads in Chennai coupled with the sultry weather, air pollution and high fuel costs etc, the residents of Chennai these days prefer trains to reach their destinations.
One important issue that is present at the railway stations in Chennai now is the lack of parking space. This has been creating issues and the commuters are unhappy.
It must be noted that inspite of the closing of two wheeler parking at the Perambur railway station large numbers of vehicles have been parked inside.
On 9th August, the contract was closed and vehicles here would be moved on Sunday night. This was mentioned by a contract employee at the parking counter. Until a new tender is given, the space would be locked on Monday. It is said that until then the vehicles could be parked at the Perambur Carriage Workstation.
For more than a month, the parking lot for those with physical issues has been closed at the Central railway station. Yesterday, there were many bikes and cycles inside the parking lot. Even those who are not differently able use this parking lot to park their vehicles. This was according to an auto driver. The bitter truth is that even at the Egmore railway station this issue is present now. There is no parking facility at the Park railway station that is renovated under the ABSS.
As per Mr. T. Sadagopan, president of TN Progressive Consumer Centre, in the western suburbs CCTV have been installed on the platforms. He added that these could even be installed at the parking spaces too. The railway authorities at the Tambaram railway station have not been providing space to park four wheelers and this was as per a regular commuter.
It was later revealed by a senior officer from the Chennai division of southern railways that under the ABSS there were plans to develop parking spaces at major railway stations in Chennai. He assured that the SR would make sure that the parking space meant for the differently able persons would not be used by others.