Hyderabad: Parking woes persist at Chatta Bazaar

Charminar: With markets slowly returning to normalcy, getting space for vehicle parking is no less than sheer luck at one of the well-known printing press markets of the city, the Chatta Bazaar. Even getting space for a two-wheeler has become an arduous task.

Chatta Bazaar or Jamal Market is one of the main markets for printing presses which take up works like printing invitation cards and other related works like calligraphy and decorated Urdu printing. There are about 250 printing presses and around 500 shops in the market. But when one visits, it has no space for a parking vehicle.

According to the traders in the market, they have been demanding a dedicated parking facility in the vicinity of their market but failed to draw the attention of the authorities. "We have given representation to the market authorities to approach the civic body or police, which would have eased a lot of traffic congestion. Customers parking their vehicles on roadside," said Mohammed Affan Quadri, an owner of printing press. With no parking space, even the business is affected, as most of the customers are returning back or visiting the shops located on roadsides. "There are three markets in the area which lack space for parking including chappal market, Dewan Dewdi market and Jamal market. Due to which there is a lot of traffic congestion in the area," he added.

There are more than 500 shops in Jamal market and in each shop at least 3 men have vehicles. Given the fact that the entire stretch is occupied by the vehicles of shop owners and workers, there is no more space left for the shoppers. When the customer parks their vehicles on roadsides, they receive a traffic challan. Existing cellar spaces on rented for commercial use

"There is a complex in the market with a cellar, were around 40 shops are situated. But the owner of the property has also rented the cellar, where at least 100 two-wheelers can be parked, but there is no space left for parking in complex and in entire market," said Hassan Quadri, another trader.

Presently, at least 500 vehicles are parked in the market and no outside vehicles are allowed. "The Jamal market important market in the city for printing, but there is no parking space. Where should a visitor park the vehicle?" asked Syed Mujeeb, one of the customers in the market.

When contacted to ACP Traffic (south zone) K Ravi, said the GHMC has allotted a parking area besides City Civil Court in Purani Haveli and near the Salar Jung Museum at Nayapul for the visitors visiting the markets. "The visitors should park their vehicles in parking lots which was assigned for the visitors and if they park the vehicles on roads and or at no parking zone, we will definitely issue challans for flouting rules," added officer.