Broken tree branches, open SWD on Alagappa Road’s pavement rankle residents

CHENNAI: In the wake of intermittent rains, residents and activists are now demanding the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to take comprehensive steps to restore and install pavements across the city.

Particularly, parents with school kids lament that central Chennai, which houses several education institutions and schools, requires a comprehensive plan ahead of monsoon.

“Pathways to walk, closed drains and roads free from stray dog menace are the popular demands from residents,” said civic activist Arani C Sreenivasan.

For instance, Alagapppa Road has many schools and heavy movement of vehicles both in the morning and evening. Though there are pavements on both sides of the road, pedestrians are unwilling to use them as they are in a bad shape.

“It’s not advisable to walk on the pavement on both sides of the road, as they have been in a dilapidated condition for a long time. We’ve filed several complaints but all in vain. Official apathy is forcing us to use the road for walking,” said Shalini, a resident.

She pointed out that the pavement would get crowded by 3 pm with children leaving school. “So I used the road to reach CSI Ewart School from Egmore Wesley Church. While returning with my son, instead of walking, I had to take an auto to reach my home,” she added.

The pavement, opposite the Ewart School, was filled with broken branches of trees. The lid of the Storm Water Drain (SWD) was open, and there was overflowing sewage from the drains. “Every time it rains heavily, water stagnates on the road and mixes with the sewage. Also, the bin placed in front of the school has to be removed,” averred Muthukumar, an auto driver.

When contacted, a ward councillor in Central Chennai told DT Next, said that adequate actions would be taken in this regard. However, efforts to reach Corporation officials on public grievances in Central Chennai proved futile.