CHENNAI: With parking for commercial establishments and hawkers taking over the newly-laid footpath on City Link Road in Adambakkam, residents have urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to clear encroachments.
The Corporation has been improving footpaths and works were under way, noted the locals, adding that a footpath was completed opposite Officers Colony park towards Adambakkam bus terminus. Despite these efforts, pedestrians are forced to walk on the road.
J Manohar, a longtime Adambakkam resident, pointed out that the widest part of the City Link Road stretches between the State Bank Colony and the Adambakkam bus terminus. He rued that commercial establishments keep blocking the pavements, "Ten days back, the GCC relaid the footpath for pedestrians, and the taxpayers' money spent on it went in vain."
Echoing him was S Kumar of Officers Colony, Adambakkam. The City Link Road suddenly witnessed bottlenecks as the road was encroached upon and buildings were constructed. "The public visiting supermarkets, hospitals and banks park their vehicles on the pavements. As the pavement works are under way, pedestrians have to use the busy road to navigate," said S Kumar.
Speaking to DT Next, GCC's assistant engineer of ward 161 said, one side of the road falls under ward 161, and the other side falls under ward 172 and 175. "We conduct a periodical encroachment eviction drive. Recently, we removed a bunch of hawkers blocking the pavement near the NGO Colony bus stop within the jurisdiction." Another assistant engineer of ward 172 said, "An encroachment drive will be conducted next week in the City Link Road."