When illegal parking is the order of the day near Madras HC

CHENNAI: The NSC Bose Road may give the motorist on the move a tough time, but for those who want to part their vehicles, it cannot get any better.
Sidewalks of the road around the Madras high court and the Rattan Bazaar area nearby belong to motorists and traders who illegally park vehicles and leave pedestrians and other motorists jostling for space on the narrow carriageway.
“Commercial complexes and government offices on NSC Bose Road have ‘reserved’ parking spaces for themselves and have placed ‘No Parking’ signboards outside their buildings,” said a staff at a restaurant.
But an official from Greater Chennai Corporation said parking spaces have not been let out to any particular building or organization.
After the Madras High Court came down heavily on the corporation for allowing hawking and parking of twowheelers on the platform along NSC Bose Road, the civic body raised bollards on some stretches. However, twowheeler riders now sneak past them. Those with cars park on the roads, making everyday commute a nightmare.
A senior traffic official told TOI that on Tuesday, senior police officers met hawkers and other traders to discuss the illegal parking of vehicles.
“We have been booking cases and towing vehicles away. Even additional strength is used. But, apart from traders and workers, small-time hawkers come from different parts of the city and set up shops on pavements and park their vehicles. We are conducting an awareness drive to end this,” said a traffic enforcement officer.