Motorcycles parked on a footpath at Red Cross Junction in Coimbatore.
| Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M.
Motorcycles parked on footpaths continue to inconvenience pedestrians in several parts of Coimbatore, particularly near the Combined Court Complex at Gopalapuram, on the Smart City-developed walkways along D.B. Road and T.V. Swamy Road in R.S. Puram, and at a few locations on Avinashi Road. Despite repeated enforcement drives, two-wheelers continue to occupy pedestrian space.Residents said senior citizens, persons with disabilities and children are often forced onto the carriageway as footpaths remain blocked.“It is difficult to walk near the Combined Court Complex, especially on working days when the pavements are filled with parked two-wheelers. Patients and their attendants visiting the nearby hospital are also forced to walk on the road,” alleged M. Lakshmi, a regular visitor to the area.“The footpaths were built for pedestrians, but shopkeepers and their customers park motorcycles on them throughout the day,” alleged Sahil Krishna, a resident of R.S. Puram.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S.S. Maheshwaran said the parking arrangement near the Combined Court Complex was a temporary measure owing to inadequate parking space within the court premises. Coimbatore Corporation had been informed, and there were plans to widen the footpath to ensure adequate space for pedestrians, he said.In other parts of the city, the traffic police are conducting enforcement drives, imposing fines on violators and warning shopkeepers against allowing vehicles to be parked on footpaths. He added that lack of adequate parking facilities in commercial buildings and shortage of public parking spaces remain key challenges. Published - August 03, 2026 07:33 pm IST
