Metro woes: Wrong parking, traffic hits Chapel Road

Chapel Road has become the main thoroughfare for those travelling from Nampally to MJ Market, because of the ongoing Metro Rail work. But during peak hours, the road is absolutely jammed.

There are several schools and colleges in the locality as also hotels and business units. School and college buses are parked on the road, along with several private cars, thereby leaving a very narrow space for traffic to navigate smoothly out of this area.

Officials of St. George Grammar School say that there is no proper parking place for the neighbouring Hotel Taj Mahal and their customers park on the busy main road during peak hours which adds to the woes of commuters and school children.

To ensure the safety of the children, the traffic police had suggested to the schools that they have at least half an hour difference in their opening and closing times to manage the traffic onslaught. The traffic police had also suggested that the schools look for open spaces for parking if they don’t have any parking within the school premises.

The Hyderabad traffic police had written to schools in June 2017, stating, “Where there are more than two schools in a particular area, the school managements should get together and plan for staggered school timings. At least half an hour difference in starting and closing timings for the smooth flow of traffic is required.’’

Surender Kumar, physical director, St George Grammar School, Abids, said, “Parents who come to drop and pick their children should be provided proper parking place inside the school campus. Our campus has sufficient parking place for all to park their vehicles. The school adjacent to ours has no parking place on their campus which creates a huge traffic jam.”

Dr Aruna Singh, chairman, Sujatha School, said, “There was a traffic issue in this junction due to several schools in the vicinity, but now it has improved after schools began following the 15 to 30 minutes variation during opening and closing timings. Traffic police also conducted awareness programs, which has helped. We make sure our school gates are closed by 8:15 am to ensure that there is no chaos because of cars and autorickshaws dropping off kids.”

Despite several efforts to reach the concerned traffic police officials, none were available for comments.

—DC Heavy traffic jams witnessed on Chapel Road during peak hours, as school buses and autorickshaw park on either side of the road, narrowing the lane.