In a move to regulate parking violations, the police have started pasting e-challans, with a fine amount indicated on them, on vehicles that are parked haphazardly on Anna Salai, and have also started taking videos and photographs of the vehicles flouting norms.
“Earlier, we used to either clamp the haphazardly-parked vehicles or tow them away. Now, the numbers have increased drastically as many people throng Ritchie Street. Hence, we have started pasting challans on the vehicles,” said N. Kannan, additional police commissioner, traffic.
Motorists coming to Ritchie Street and other shops started parking their vehicles on Anna Salai -- from the Wallajah Road junction all the way to the Periyar Statue junction. The police have placed barricades, and are trying to ensure that only two rows of bikes are parked on the stretch. “We have made arrangements on Blackers Road, Dams Road, Sivananda Salai and paid parking at Casino Theatre. We have also deployed policemen to regulate parking. Despite this, a few people park haphazardly,” said a senior police officer.
From July 6, when the complete lockdown was relaxed, the police have registered 2,892 cases of parking violations on Anna Salai and Blackers Road. Of these, 741 are no-parking cases and 2,151 are for causing obstructions to traffic. “If the motorist is present near the vehicle, we hand over the challan to him. Otherwise, we paste it on the vehicle. He/she has to make the payment through SBI, Paytm, Chennai Corporation E-Seva centres, post offices or at the court,” added the police officer.
A senior police officer added that they are working with the Greater Chennai Corporation to identify vacant plots of land near arterial roads for paid parking in the city.
