TIRUCHY: Although recent efforts by the Tiruchy Corporation to clear encroachments around the Teppakulam reservoir brought relief in traffic movement, locals say the area is slipping back into disorder due to haphazard parking of two-wheelers and the gradual return of hawkers.
NSB Road, one of the busiest roads in the city, serves as a major shopping mall, attracting a lot of foot traffic throughout the day. However, for years, the stretch from Burma Bazaar to Nondi Bazaar was heavily affected by street vendors and shop extensions, severely restricting pedestrian movement and causing frequent traffic jams, especially during festive seasons.
Following a directive from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to declare the Teppakulam area a no-vending zone, the city corporation recently shifted vendors from Burma Bazaar and Nondi Bazaar to designated alternate spaces.
A senior corporation official said, “The relocation of the offenders was carried out strictly based on the court’s directions and with appropriate rehabilitative measures.”
However, the relief appeared to be short-lived. Over the past two weeks, commuters say the cleared spaces around Teppakulam are increasingly being used for casual parking of two-wheelers by customers visiting nearby textile and commercial establishments.
Residents also claim that some hawkers have started informally returning to the NSB road, further worsening the situation. Traffic jams are being reported once again, with vehicles struggling to navigate the narrow roads created by parked two-wheelers.
A daily commuter M Divya from Andal Road, said, “The removal of violations was a big relief initially, but the situation has changed again due to the chaos of parking. Pedestrians have no space to walk. Even with the presence of traffic police, there is hardly any enforcement against illegal parking and fines are not imposed regularly.”
K Durai of Devathanam, a motorist said, “After the encroachments were cleared, people could move through this stretch without much difficulty. Now, two-wheelers are parked irregularly everywhere, making driving stressful once again.”
When contacted, a corporation official said steps are being taken to fix parking on the Teppakulam and NSB road stretch. “Enforcement activities will be intensified in the coming days to prevent blockages.”
