Cellar shops worsen traffic congestion in city’s commercial hubs

Parking spaces meant to keep vehicles off Visakhapatnam’s roads are being converted into commercial premises across the city’s busiest neighbourhoods, leaving motorists with fewer parking options and forcing vehicles onto congested roads.

With footpaths also encroached upon, pedestrians are pushed onto carriageways, adding a safety risk to the parking violation.

From Purna Market and Jagadamba Junction to Daba Gardens and Dwarakanagar, residents say cellar-to-shop conversions have become a recurring problem. The stretch near Budhil Park Hotel in Dwarakanagar is among the worst-affected, with vehicles parked on both sides severely restricting traffic during peak hours.

Residents recall that cellar encroachments here were once removed under former GVMC Commissioner Ramanjaneyulu, but commercial activity has gradually returned, pointing to a lack of sustained enforcement. Similar congestion is reported at Dondaparthi Junction, Railway New Colony, near the RTC Complex petrol station, and along several six-lane roads.

At Ratna Plaza, residents allege common parking areas have been taken over for commercial use despite repeated complaints and enforcement drives.

The problem also reflects a gap between traffic enforcement and urban planning: while police penalise roadside parking, legal parking itself is shrinking as building cellars are converted into shops. Residents say this merely punishes the symptom, not the cause.

They have urged the GVMC Town Planning wing to inspect commercial buildings, verify cellar usage, and act against violations — along with joint enforcement by GVMC and police to reclaim encroached spaces.

For residents, the issue isn’t just illegal conversions — it’s how the loss of planned parking is spilling onto public roads, worsening congestion and endangering pedestrians.