KOZHIKODE: The Onam rush has thrown the traffic in the city haywire owing to the lack of parking space. The city corporation had planned many innovative parking projects, but they all remain on paper. Vehicles are parked on-side and off-side in busy streets now. The Calicut Development Authority had inaugurated the first phase of the parking project several times since 2013, but no work has been undertaken.
Some projects include multi-level parking slot at Railway Station Link Road and modern parking plaza-cum-commercial complex. “CDA was entrusted with the project, but due to the delay in sanctioning the funds, they could not move ahead with it,” said corporation secretary T.P. Satheshan. The present corporation council has conducted meetings to discuss the parking woes of the city, especially during festival season.
The worst-affected are those who come for shopping at SM Street, near new bus stand, Palayam, Beach and Thondayad bypass. At present vehicles are parked at pay-and-park zones and on the sides of the arterial roads. Traffic officials have also stopped vehicles from entering SM Street putting the city folks in trouble. Even during off-peak hours, heavy traffic snarls have been witnessed on the Palayam –Kallayi stretch.
