The plan to construct a parking lot-cum-commercial complex on Nandhi Kovil Street is yet to kick off as street vendors have been resisting eviction by the city corporation.
The Tiruchi Corporation had drawn a plan to set up a parking lot for two-wheelers on Nandhi Kovil Street, to address the problem of haphazard parking in the crowded bazaar area, and to keep a check on street vendors.
Although the plan for the ₹97 lakh project, envisaged to be spent from the civic body's general fund, was drawn up early last year, the vendors have not been cooperative, corporation officials say. While the ground floor will be meant for a parking lot, the civic body is contemplating construction of a party hall or a commercial complex on the upper floors.
"We are yet to decide on it. The vendors are demanding space there, but there has been no concrete decision so far, especially due to interference from these vendor associations,” an official said.
There has been an ongoing issue with the vendors in the area.
The civic body recently resorted to erecting grills along the south end of the Theppakulam to avoid vendors in the area.
There are about 3,900 street vendors who have been identified in the city, and of them, about half the number of vendors possess identity cards. The ones who do not have the cards are refusing to cooperate, and are demanding that the civic body notify the places where they can set up shop. Although the civic body identified places in both Srirangam and Ariyamangalam zone years ago, the locations could not be finalised due to the dysfunctional state of the Town Vending Committee, sources said.
“On their part, the vendors are not allowing the elections to be held and are blaming the civic body for lack of cooperation”, the corporation official said. Vendors have moved the court several times and until the issue is sorted, the civic body can take no action, an official said.