Parking woes continue to trouble Charminar shoppers and tourists

Hyderabad: Lack of organised parking facilities around Charminar continues to inconvenience tourists and shoppers, with the delay in establishing a multi-level parking complex adding to congestion in the Old City’s busiest commercial and heritage precinct.

Thousands of shops line the narrow streets around Charminar, Gulzar Houz and Lal Bazaar, attracting customers looking for traditional bangles, pearls, bridal wear, textiles, perfumes, footwear, imitation jewellery and other household goods. The area also draws tourists visiting the Charminar monument, Mecca Masjid and Chowmahalla Palace, but finding a place to park often turns into a painful exercise.

Mohd Azmathullah, a trader in the area, said the lack of adequate parking was affecting business as visitors struggled to find space for their vehicles and were forced to park at a considerable distance. “People want to spend time shopping and exploring the Old City, but they become frustrated even before reaching the shops. The traffic congestion and uncertainty over parking discourage many customers from coming here,” he said.

Another shopper, Sharath Kumar, said he thought twice before visiting the Old City, particularly Lal Bazaar, for shopping. “The variety and prices are attractive, but reaching the shops and finding parking is a major problem. Unless there is a convenient parking facility, many people will prefer shopping elsewhere,” he said.

The proposed multi-level parking complex at Charminar bus stand and the premises of the Khilwath Old Pension Payment Office, also known as the Khazana Building, is expected to ease the pressure if the project is taken up and completed.

However, the project has been held up, leaving visitors and traders to contend with the existing constraints. A GHMC official said tenders invited for the proposed facility did not evoke any response, resulting in the delay. The civic body will have to address the tendering hurdle to move the project forward.

With heritage tourism and commercial activity concentrated in the same congested stretch, the absence of adequate parking remains a persistent hurdle for the Old City, shopkeepers feel.