Commuters take a stand on crowded Bells Road

There are chairs available in the bus shelter, but commuters are forced to wait on the road. “There is a car parked right in front of the bus stand. If we sit at the stand, we are likely to miss the bus as manoeuvring around the vehicles will take time. We have to wait a little away from the stand,” says R Ramesh, a mechanic. With parked cars and pedestrians, there is very little left of the road and traffic comes to a complete halt when a bus stops. 

“Bells Road is two-way and two buses can easily move sideby-side. However, because of the encroachment and parking issues, the width is drastically reduced,” says S Sathish, a commuter. “The buses are forced to stop in the middle of the road where the commuters are waiting causing a traffic jam because of this,” he adds.

Bells Road is a haven for those seeking to buy second hand two-wheelers, and attracts people from all over the city. As a result, the visitors park their cars on one side of the road. The line of cars parked near the footpaths, make the pavements inaccessible. 

“The only purpose the pavement serves here is to turn into a meeting point for the tipplers. You can see people consuming alcohol in broad daylight. Gambling is rampant here. You can easily spot people playing cards,” says R Nirmala, a tea vendor. 

“I am scared to walk around the place. I wind up my work at 4 pm and leave the place. A proper patrolling needs to be conducted on this stretch throughout the day,” she feels. According to regulars, the stretch is cleared of all the encroachments whenever there is a match at the Chepauk Stadium. “The police must take strict action against those flouting the rules and arrest people who consume alcohol in a public space,” says Sathish.