Traffic police demand city corpn to open MLCP for Diwali

Trichy: Nearly 10 months after Trichy Corporation commissioned the city's first multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility on West Boulevard (WB) Road, it remains underutilized. With the Diwali festival approaching, traffic police have urged the corporation to take immediate steps to open the facility for vehicle parking.
"Since the Maris Theatre RoB is closed, vehicles rely heavily on WB Road to access commercial streets.The MLCP could help ease traffic by providing dedicated parking," a police officer said. The MLCP spans 62,000 square feet and can accommodate around 950 two-wheelers and 650 cars. However, with the facility unused, vehicles are parked on commercial streets in areas like Singarathope, Salai Road, Chathiram bus stand, and Teppakulam, causing traffic congestion.
While the corporation aims to lease the MLCP to a single operator, attempts to find a tenant have failed. City police suggest hiring temporary workers to operate the facility and generate revenue. Though the shopping spaces within the MLCP are rented, the primary purpose of easing parking remains unfulfilled. "We need council approval to operate the MLCP with our workers, and the tendering process won't be completed before Diwali," a corporation official stated. The delay has resulted in an estimated revenue loss of Rs 3-4 lakh for the corporation.