Charminar parking problems are continuing to disrupt shoppers, tourists and traders in Hyderabad’s Old City, with the proposed multi-level parking complex delayed after tenders received no response, according to a report by Telangana Today.
The parking shortage affects the commercial and heritage precinct around Charminar, Gulzar Houz and Lal Bazaar, where narrow streets are lined with thousands of shops selling bangles, pearls, bridal wear, textiles, perfumes, footwear, imitation jewellery and household goods. The same area also attracts visitors to Charminar, Mecca Masjid and Chowmahalla Palace.
The absence of organised parking means visitors often have to search for space or leave their vehicles at a considerable distance from the shopping and tourism areas. The resulting congestion and uncertainty are affecting how easily people can access the precinct, traders said.
Mohd Azmathullah, a trader in the area, told Telangana Today that visitors were becoming frustrated before reaching the shops. “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.
Shopper Sharath Kumar said he thought twice before visiting Lal Bazaar despite its variety and prices. “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 facility is planned at the Charminar bus stand and the premises of the Khilwath Old Pension Payment Office, also known as the Khazana Building. The project is expected to ease pressure on the surrounding streets if it is taken up and completed.
A Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation official said tenders invited for the facility did not receive any response, resulting in the delay. The tendering problem now remains the immediate administrative hurdle for the project, while visitors and traders continue to depend on the existing, limited parking arrangements.
The Old City’s parking challenge is intensified by the concentration of commercial activity and heritage tourism within the same narrow stretch. Customers, tourists, shopkeepers and local traffic all compete for limited road space, while the absence of a completed parking facility leaves no dedicated solution for handling visitor vehicles.
The next step for the civic body is to address the failed tender process and move the proposed multi-level facility forward. Until then, parking access around Charminar, Gulzar Houz and Lal Bazaar will remain a constraint for both commercial activity and visits to Hyderabad’s heritage precinct.
