Thiruvananthapuram: Illegal parking clogs National Highway bypass

Thiruvananthapuram: Illegal parking of heavy vehicles is choking the service roads between Enchakkal and Ambalathara even before completing the entire work on Kazhakuttom-Karode stretch.    Prior to the NH bypass work, most parts of the stretch was the junkyard of discarded cars. Apart from this, pieces of demolished buildings are sold there. A year after the widening, the six-metre wide road left aside for local commutation has been but choked by illegal parking.

Vehicles catering to hardware shops and marble shops block the shoulder roads between Enchakkal and Ambalathara.  The car showrooms also do their lot as they unload vehicles from the trailer into the road. “Its complete pandemonium for residents who enter and exit the highway through these roads,” said Akhil Mohan, a resident. “Before also, during peak traffic from South of the city to Technopark, they used to unload vehicles here causing chaos,” he added.

As per showroom officials, the absence of loading docks or truck bays necessitates disruptive parking. “The load comes from places like Haryana, and the drivers have to pull over somewhere. Where else will we park? They have to rejuvenate before heading back after unloading trucks,” said a yard supervisor of a car company.