CHENNAI: Pedestrians are facing difficulties using the footpaths along Konnur High Road in Ayanavaram, with shops, parked vehicles and advertisement boards occupying portions of the pavements on both sides. With little space left for pedestrians, many are forced to walk on the carriageway, raising safety concerns.
Encroachments are particularly visible along the stretch from the Medavakkam Road junction to Konnur High Road. Food shops and two-wheeler repair workshops have occupied portions of the footpaths, while two-wheelers are parked on the pavements at several locations. Residents said pedestrians were often forced to walk along the roadside amid continuous vehicular movement.
"It becomes particularly difficult when vehicles are moving continuously, and there is also a risk of accidents. The encroachments should be removed, and the footpaths should be monitored regularly to ensure they remain accessible to the public," said resident Malar.
Once new proposals to identify areas as vending zones and non-vending zones are approved, encroachments on walkways would be permanently removed
However, street vendors said eviction drives affected their livelihood. "I run a small shop in the area and depend on the income from it to support my family. As I do not have a separate place to set up a shop, I run my business wherever space is available. My daily income is an important source for meeting my family's everyday expenses. When the Corporation removes the encroachments, our livelihood is affected. Proper space should be provided for vendors to carry out their business without affecting their livelihood," said street vendor Manikandan.
A Corporation official said encroachments were being removed periodically. The last eviction drive was carried out three months before the elections. However, vendors returned to the same locations and set up shops within a week of being removed, the official said.
Members of street vendors' associations have been seeking permission to operate from designated locations, citing their livelihood needs.
New proposals to identify areas as Vending Zones and Non-Vending Zones are currently under consideration. A permanent solution to the encroachment issue is expected only after the proposal is approved, the official added.