Vehicles parked along the Palakarai underbridge in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: VENGADESH R
The indiscriminate parking of vehicles beneath overbridges across Tiruchi has emerged as a growing concern, with motorists and residents complaining that the practice is encroaching on road space and disrupting the smooth flow of traffic.Spaces beneath several overbridges in the city have gradually turned into informal parking zones, with two-wheelers, cars, autorickshaws, and even abandoned vehicles occupying portions of the carriageway meant for vehicular movement. Residents say the problem becomes particularly severe during peak hours when traffic volume is high.The situation is especially noticeable near busy junctions and commercial areas where road space is already constrained. Under the Palakkarai overbridge, for instance, stretches of the road have been occupied by parked four-wheelers, narrowing the available space for moving vehicles.“Motorists are forced to slow down or manoeuvre through narrow gaps because parked vehicles reduce the effective width of the road. This results in traffic bottlenecks and increases the likelihood of accidents,” said J. Arokiyaraj, a resident.Similar concerns have been raised from other parts of the city, where unauthorised parking and encroachments continue to undermine the purpose of roads and bridges designed to ease congestion.Civic activists have called for immediate intervention by the authorities. “Parking beneath overbridges should be regulated. The Corporation should identify designated parking facilities nearby and explore ways to utilise vacant spaces beneath overbridges in a planned manner to prevent encroachments,” said N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist.Corporation officials said that measures to regulate encroachments are being examined. Efforts are also being made in certain locations to improve the utilisation of spaces beneath bridges, with the aim of ensuring smoother traffic movement. Published - June 10, 2026 06:42 pm IST
