Chennai’s woes with footpaths have been a recurring irritant in recent months. From protests against political parties that claim footpaths to erect their banners, to citizen complaints of newly laid footpaths being unserviceable due to design flaws and encroachments — there is a chorus of voices sounding a clear demand for better facilities for pedestrians.
Pavements across the city suffer from poor design, inconvenient placement of street furniture, street vendor stalls that block access, broken tiles, dumping of debris and overflowing garbage. This leaves little room for those who commute on foot to navigate the city’s streets safely.
Take a look at these three arterial roads to highlight what ails pedestrian infrastructure in the city.
No room for pedestrians on Greams Road
Greams Road links Mount Road, College Road and Pantheon Road. The road is home to many shops and eateries and a bylane, the Greams Lane, has the famous Apollo hospitals. The road sees heavy footfall at all times of the day and has two-way traffic. Below are some pictures of the various obstructions in the form of encroachments, illegal parking, improper dumping of garbage and street furniture placed in an inconvenient manner along the road.
A vehicle belonging to Apollo hospitals parked on the footpath.
Political banners strewn on the path used by pedestrians.
Vehicles parked on the footpath where Greams Road meets Mount Road.
Pushcarts block the side of the road.
Concrete slabs lying on the footpath.
Cars from the mechanic shop parked on the footpath.
Fibre optic cable roll left on the footpath.
Construction debris dumped on the footpath.
Gandhi Mandapam Road: Poor design and broken pavements
Gandhi Mandapam Road sees heavy traffic at all times of the day. The road houses several educational institutions such as Anna University and AMM School. The Anna Centenary Library, which has many patrons, is also located on this road. There is inadequate pedestrian infrastructure on this road. Uneven and broken footpaths, vendors who block the access to footpaths and illegal parking is rife on Gandhi Mandapam Road.
Placement of junction box obstructing the footpath.
Broken tiles make the footpath uneven and unsafe.
Cars parked on the footpath.
A shoe repair stall occupies the entire footpath.
Two-wheelers parked on the footpath.
A tender-coconut seller’s stall on the footpath.
Temporary erections for construction at Anna University blocking the footpath.
Blocks of concrete dumped outside Anna Centenary Library.
Jawaharlal Nehru Road: More woes for pedestrians
Jawaharlal Nehru Road near Ashok Pillar is an arterial road with a post office and primary school in the vicinity. There is also a busy bus stop that serves many people. The footpaths are an eyesore as they are encroached and blocked in many ways.
Broken tiles, protruding manholes and a kiosk encroaches the footpath at Ashok Pillar.
Cycles parked on the footpath outside the housing board tenements.
A pile of mud dumped on the footpath.
Heaps of plastic covers remain on the footpath.
A badly finished manhole indicates that milling was not done before laying the pedestrian path.
A dangling EB wire and an abandoned auto block the way.
A tea bunk that occupies major chunk of the footpath.
(Pictures by Aruna Natarajan and Laasya Shekhar)
We Indians are using the platforms for Urinating, parking, putting platform shops,and lying.
We never use it for walking purpose.
We deserve diz.
These and blatant use of footpath and streets to store construction material by shop renovatirs is a big problem in Anna Nagar. Even right in front of the main Roundtana.
These are at least static impediments. Bike riders use the footpath to short circuit traffic in many places in Chennai as if it is their right almost running over pedestrians.
An excellent collections of Images… Wake up chennai..
Excellent collection of photos.. However they are easy to find in Chennai..
Wake up Chennai…
Dear all, on by reading the article, platforms are being used in different ways.but the purpose is mainly formed for the pedestrians 🚶♂️to walk 🚶♀️safely by using it.i wish to convey that we people need to lead thereby to revamp the system in proper way.because of the people
co-operativeness is in zero tolerance, that makes everything upside down. whereas in abroad, the system is different, everyone will know about everything, if anything goes wrong, they come forward to ask to take care of the issue.but here, people don’t bother about the common issue, they take their issues more on concentrating to finish.in order to resolve for common issues, they don’t bother for it.our part – (ie) people need to come forward get involved in common issues, by which we all can bring the change. For example, recently i wrote a petition letter to CMRL – MD thereby suggesting to have a metro connectivity between kilambakkam to airport & airport to kilambakkam, thereby regarding this matter it is awaiting for the central government approval.before this, very much earlier wrote letter to former chief minister DR.J.JAYALALITHAAJI madam to bring a bus terminal point, similar to koyambedu, whereby the residents of OMR & other surrounding areas can be benefitted by coming over to this terminal by taking the bus, in avoiding to go by overcoming the traffic congestion.@ that time land was procured & identified the place.previous government constructed & started the operational of system, by which it makes easy to use the terminal point, by reaching within a period of time.it is being facilitated to all.similarly train station has come.apart from that, skywalk bridge from kilambakkam bus terminal to reach train station.another bottle neck of traffic congestion in perungaluthur is also going to be resolved. people need to come forward thereby take part for common issue around us, thereby to resolve the issue in proper way.let all of us join our hands together, thereby we can bring change for common cause in a systematic way of approach by completing the work successfully. thanks & kind regards Kaailash Ayyasamy
Oh, man, you’ve brought to attention what I’ve been pondering for a few months now. The pedestrian walks in Munusamy Salai, KK Nagar have conveniently become an extra space for the dozens of shops and offices.
With share autos (Tata Magic) plying at high-speeds throughout the day, it’s such a nightmare for old people in this area.
What’s the procedure to get the attention of the govt. officials who are responsible for the safety of its citizens?
No rule of law in Chennai and that is the law here.Your pictures poove that is the reality
What can we as residents of chennai do about it?