CHENNAI: Encroachments have become a routine across the city, but Muthukumarappa Street near Perambur Loco Bridge shows how official inaction is making matters worse.
For over a year, heavy construction machinery, including concrete mixers, has been dumped along the stretch, squeezing road space and putting pedestrians and motorists at risk.
On a recent visit, at least eight pieces of equipment were found rusting on the road. With the space narrowed dangerously, commuters are forced to tiptoe past whenever trucks or buses pass. “Even if we raise complaints, no action is taken. We have no choice but to walk cautiously along the sides,” said a resident.
Locals allege the equipment belongs to a resident who runs a construction business and uses the public road as a private yard. “Because there is no room in front of his house, he has simply occupied the street, causing daily hardship to others,” another resident said.
The problem is compounded by waste bins of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) left scattered on the roadside, further eating into pedestrian and vehicle space.
When contacted, a Corporation official admitted that residents often remove the machines only temporarily when warned, and then place them back. “We will instruct officials to take steps to clear the road,” the official said, a response residents dismiss as yet another empty assurance.