Haphazard parking by dealers on Pattabiraman Street affects movement of vehicles

The pavement was encroached by two-wheeler sellers at Pattabiraman Street, Tennur, in Tiruchi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY

Haphazard parking of two-wheelers on Pattabiraman Street by dealers in used two-wheelers and financiers has caused inconvenience to motorists and local residents.

Pattibiraman Street, one of the important roads in the city, acts as a link between Thennur High Road and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital Road. The street, which is dotted with a number of houses and a host of apartments, had a few two-wheeler mechanics about 30 years ago. Besides carrying out repair work, they began to sell used two-wheelers, followed by a few vehicle financiers.

The street has slowly become a market for used two-wheelers. It acts as home to many automobile financiers, dealers, and mediators. Some of them have been functioning as if they have exclusive showrooms for second hand two-wheelers.

According to industry sources, about 20 showrooms are located on both the sides of the road. Each showroom displays about 10 to 100 vehicles. Since many of them have been functioning from small rooms, measuring 5 ft. by 5 ft. or 5 ft. by 10 ft., except for a few, most dealers invariably park two-wheelers in front of them, thereby occupying a sizable portion of the road, which is narrow. The vehicles are kept from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is ultimately affecting free flow of traffic. Though the indiscriminate parking of motorcycles and scooters on the middle of the road was on a small scale, it has become a menace for road users and local residents.

Besides, a number of two-wheeler repair shops had been functioning along the road. They are occupying a portion of the road in front of them. Mechanics prefer to repair vehicles on the road itself as they do not have sufficient space on their premises. They utilise the platform and road edges to park the clients’ vehicles. In addition to them, the buyers park their vehicles on the road at will while enquiring about the vehicles.

“How the public find space to drive their vehicles when the dealers occupy the public space of the road, which is already narrow. It often leads to traffic snarls. We face severe inconvenience to drive vehicles on the road,” N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist based in Thennur.

It is said that the exponential growth in number of two-wheelers had led to increase in the vehicles displayed for resale. “We take due care in avoiding the public space. But some dealers, who operate in a small showroom, park the vehicles on the pavement,” said a mediator.

Mr. Jamaludeen said it had emerged as an important issue. The Tiruchi Corporation could open a separate market or allot a suitable space for the used two-wheeler sales. The general public should not be put to hardship.