Tree pruning in focus as branches eclipse Chennai’s streetlights

CHENNAI: Overgrown tree branches covering streetlights have become a common sight across several neighbourhoods in the city, prompting the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to step up pruning work.

Localities such as Anna Nagar, Kilpauk and KK Nagar have reported several stretches where canopies block streetlights entirely.

In Anna Nagar West, 8th Cross Street and interior roads near 6th Avenue remain dim because of overhanging branches. In Kilpauk Garden Road, including Big Street, trees on both sides have spread out, leaving the lights ineffective. Bharathidasan Street and interior lanes in KK Nagar face similar issues.

“I usually turn on the high beam while driving, but that causes another problem as oncoming vehicles also do the same, which affects visibility,” said Hariharan, a resident of Big Street.

The dark spots are also leading to accidents and several residents also slip and fall. “Potholes cannot be identified first and then there are dogs. They will be sleeping on the road and we never know,” lamented M Muthukumar, a resident from KK Nagar. “Trees branches should be cut off soon especially in interior stretches where there are no supplementary lights like visibility given by the lights of commercial buildings, for example,” he added.

A GCC official said the pruning was carried out by both the electrical and parks departments, with added focus during the monsoon season. “In the last 3 months, trees on around 7,000 streets were pruned. The GCC operates 15 Sakthiman pruning machines and has sought more units,” he added.

However, officials admit that the shortage of machinery and manpower continues to slow the process. This shortage was raised at the Council meeting in September, where councillors pointed out that most of the time, the vehicles were unavailable or under repair.

Ward 81 Councillor and Public Health Standing Committee member Dr G Shanthakumari stated, “With more trees branching out and coming into contact with electric lines, the demand for pruning is urgent. But the machine is always said to be under repair.”

Officials said pruning was taken up both as routine maintenance and in response to public complaints, but the scale of the work requires more equipment.