Authorities urged to prevent parking of bikes on roadside in front of Salem mall

SALEM: Residents have urged authorities to take immediate action to prevent two-wheelers from parking in front of a private mall on the Five Road in Salem. They attribute the increasing number of accidents in the area to the two-wheelers parked on the left roadside in front of the mall.

Shoppers park their motorcycles on the roadside to avoid paying parking fees inside the mall, they say. P Thangavelu of Arisipalayam said the public visiting the shopping mall were being charged for parking their vehicles, leading to a situation where two-wheelers were parked on the roadside. "Consequently, hundreds of two-wheelers are lined up on roadsides, obstructing the passage of buses and other vehicles," he said. People park their two-wheelers on the roadside without minding the no-parking warning sign boards installed there. According to social activist Poomozhi, traffic congestion has become a frequent issue due to vehicles parked in front of large shopping malls. “Traffic police periodically take action by registering cases, issuing warnings and erecting warning signs. Yet, it appears that no one pays attention to these efforts.

Although large shopping malls are intended for public convenience, fees for vehicle entry is quite frustrating," he said.

According to data from Salem city's traffic investigation wing police, accidents frequently happen due to the parking of two-wheelers in that area. "It has been reported that more than 20 non-fatal accidents have occurred in this location so far," said a police officer. Motorists believe that this issue can only be addressed if the police take strict action. They say continuous enforcement measures like fine are necessary to control such incidents. They say if the shopping mall waives parking fees, these inconveniences for the public will be alleviated.