CHENNAI: Pavements on the TVS Avenue main road in ward 89 of Ambattur zone are far from being useful to pedestrians – with residents using them as garbage dump and four-wheelers parking on them on either sides of roads, garbage pickup trucks are unable to access them and hence waste has accumulated. As a consequence, pedestrians are forced to walk on the road.
The road today is a sordid contrast to what it was in 2022 – spacious with a clean pathway.
Now, vehicles are parked all over the place, and men comfortably use the space opposite the park and the crematorium to answer nature’s call.
As several schools are located nearby, parents take this as an alternative route to reach Ambattur Estate road. Parked vehicles eat into road space as well as commuters’ time in the morning hours.
‘No parking’ sign boards on either side don’t stop vehicle owners from parking their cars and vans wherever they deem fine, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road. Many vehicle owners also use the road as their permanent parking space, and check on their vehicles twice every week," said R Vinayakamurthy, a resident of Anna Nagar West Extension.
He further added, "Though a restroom is available nearby the crematorium, people urinate and defecate behind the vehicles and it has also turned into a dumping space," added Vinayakamurthy.
When DT Next contacted an official with the Ambattur zone, he stated, "the vehicles are parked by residents living nearby. We can confiscate abandoned vehicles, while the traffic police have the authority to fine vehicles on the spot for violating parking rules."