Traffic Woes Plague Vizag as City Tackles Parking Crisis

 Visakhapatnam: The coastal city of Visakhapatnam is taking decisive action to address its growing traffic congestion, with authorities cracking down on parking violations and launching infrastructure projects to ease strain on commercial districts. The city, which hosts over 50,000 commercial establishments, faces daily chaos, especially on weekends.

According to Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) officials, 30-40% of commercial establishments violate regulations by misusing cellar spaces intended for parking. On average, more than 300 motorists and four-wheeler drivers breach parking norms daily.

Parking violations have become a major issue in areas such as Siripuram Junction, MVP Colony, VIP Road, Dwaraka Nagar, and others. In response, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Praveen Kumar stated that special drives and awareness programs are being implemented. GVMC has permitted parking within the yellow lines in certain areas, such as near Sampath Vinayaka Temple, and the traffic police are actively issuing e-challans for violations.

Traffic police data indicates significant fine collections, with 71,682 e-challans issued in 2022, 39,346 in 2023, and 55,436 already in 2024. To further alleviate congestion, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), with state support, proposed a multi-level car and two-wheeler parking facility at Siripuram, which has an estimated budget of Rs 80 crore. The multi-level parking is expected to be operational by November 20, accommodating 450 cars with dedicated commercial spaces on the ground floor. Additionally, a separate multi-level parking facility at Jagadamba is already operational, catering to approximately 90-100 cars. The district administration is also targeting violations in commercial complexes, particularly focusing on cellars misused for storage rather than parking.