Vijayawada: Parking woes a big hurdle to businesses at Governorpet

Vijayawada: Massive traffic jams and clogged shopping areas are the norm at Governorpet, one of the biggest and busiest areas in Vijayawada city.

The roads in this area were designed around 70 years ago. During these seven decades, city population has increased many folds and also vehicles.

But the roads remained the same causing traffic problems and parking issues to the people.

Most of Governorpet area is commercial with hectic trading activity from morning to evening. This area is famous for gold and jewellery shops, textiles shops, footwear showrooms, fancy shops, mobile showrooms, electrical goods etc. Hence, large number of people not only from Vijayawada city but also from other areas would visit Governorpet for shopping and other purposes. Vehicle parking is a major problem for the customers as there is not enough place for parking either on the road or near the shops.

Besant road, another important commercial area in the city, attracts thousands of people every day. Many denizens visit this area regularly to buy consumer goods required in day-to-day life. Children garments and footwear are available at reasonable price for common people. Traffic police find it very hard to regulate traffic in Besant road during evenings.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has constructed NTR Parking Complex for vehicle parking. But it's not possible to park vehicles in the complex and walk to other places on the busy roads of Governorpet.

RTC buses and other vehicles pass through Jaihind Talkies road, which is famous for gold and jewelry shops. NTR complex is well known for cell phone shops, electrical goods, rechargers, cables, computer related appliances etc. Customers, who come for shopping, have to struggle to find place to park their vehicles, which takes more time than the shopping.

The APSRTC is also facing problem to find alternative routes to operate buses during busy traffic hours. Traffic police lifting vehicles from main roads and shifting them to police stations for violation of traffic rules is a regular scene.

Traffic Sub-Inspector Baig, Governorpet, said, "We don't have any option but to lift vehicles to police stations to clear the road for free flow of traffic." He said police were trying to create awareness on parking rules and to avoid traffic congestion on main roads. He observed that giving permission for constructing a building without cellars is one of the main problems for traffic snarls. During festival season, traffic problems multiplies in Governorpet area as people in large numbers go for shopping.

K Vijay Kumar, a textile trader at Besant road, lamented that the traders were losing business due to parking problem. 'Many customers were opting to go to big shopping malls where vehicle parking facility is available.'

He said that they have no other option except to continue their business activity in the busy Governorpet, located at the heart of the city.