More free parking spots identified to ease Onam rush in Kozhikode city
Kozhikode police have identified 25 temporary parking locations to manage the surge in traffic during the Onam festival. However, the move highlights the city's long-term failure to complete permanent multi-level parking projects and mobility hubs.
Why it matters
Urban infrastructure deficits significantly impact public convenience and traffic management in rapidly growing Indian cities.
With the Onam rush intensifying, the police have identified 25 locations offering free parking for over 2,495 cars and deployed special squads to remove illegally parked vehicles. The emergency measures have once again exposed the city’s long-standing shortage of organised parking facilities and the slow progress of projects aimed at addressing it.
The additional parking spaces are expected to ease pressure on the city’s roads during the festival season. Enforcement teams have also been tasked with clearing unauthorised roadside parking to ensure smoother traffic movement.
However, the temporary arrangements come against the backdrop of the city’s failure to create adequate permanent parking capacity. Drivers’ union leaders point out that two multi-level car parking projects, one along Railway Station Link Road and another at Kidson Corner, remain far from completion, leaving the traffic police struggling to manage parking in the absence of adequate infrastructure.
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