MCK attained a dubious distinction for failing to discharge its legitimate duties of removing encroachment on footpaths and parking lots
MCK is converting all the parks into paid parks, denying recreational facilities to the people of the town
Autos go scot-free despite encroaching roads and setting up illegal parking ‘addas’ and overloaded autos
KARIMNAGAR, JULY 28, 2026: The Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar (MCK), instead of providing free parking to the vehicle owners at the busy Tower Circle area, has introduced parking fees at the newly inaugurated Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT) shopping complex constructed on the premises of the old Municipal guest house in the heart of Karimnagar town.
The new shopping complex provides updated commercial spaces and amenities, and improved parking spaces. Besides, the dignitaries had also laid the foundation stone for the night food court to boost local business and evening leisure. Incidentally, the Old Municipal Guest House was demolished and constructed as a parking space for people visiting on various modes of transport to the busy Tower Circle business area.
However, then, BRS leaders led by then Mayor S Ravinder Singh had decided to develop the iconic Tower Circle area on par with the Golden Temple area in Amritsar under the Smart Cities Mission and declare the area as ‘no vehicle zone’. Accordingly, the MCK had planned to provide a parking place at the Old Municipal Guest House.
But the MCK had been on the task of burdening the people with parking fees at the IDSMT complex for all vehicles from July 27, 2026, onwards. Earlier, the MCK had converted the Old High School Grounds and Circus Grounds into paid parks by collecting huge entry fees from the people of the town. And now, the MCK has decided to collect parking fees for the people visiting the Tower Circle commercial area for shopping purposes.
The MCK and the Traffic police are giving more priority to imposing charges on the vehicle owners on various pretexts, but fail to discharge their legitimate duties of removing encroachment of footpaths and parking areas in various parts of Karimnagar town.
Thanks to the lethargy on the part of the officials concerned, the street-vendors and other eateries have encroached the busy road at the Ambedkar Stadium, Collectorate, Tower Circle, DCCB bank area, Jyothinagar, Mankammathota and other localities in Karimnagar town.
On the other hand, the auto-wallahs encroach the roads and erect signboards claiming that it is their ‘adda’ (stand) illegally without any permission from the authorities concerned.  The overloaded autos and illegal parking by them go scot-free, but the authorities only fleece two-wheelers and four-wheelers in the name of traffic violations.
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