The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Narrowing of footpaths condemned

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Friday, Jan 09, 2009
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Narrowing of footpaths condemned

Staff Reporter

Chennai: Several residents of Besant Nagar on Wednesday came together to condemn the Chennai Corporation’s move to break a stretch of the pedestrian footpath on Besant Nagar Fourth Main Road to make way for road widening. Members of the Civil Society Group, a collective of citizens concerned about public and common spaces in the city, said the footpaths were being narrowed to make space for a paid parking facility on the stretch.

“The Corporation has encroached into pavement space in several key areas to accommodate more car parking, pushing pedestrians into harm’s way,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, a member of the Civil Society Group.

“Consult community”

Residents also said that the civic body did not consult the local community before planning changes in the use of public spaces. Pavements recently constructed on Besant Nagar Fifth Avenue Road have proved too narrow and high for use. The residents demanded that comprehensive plans for the area be shared with them before changes are made on pavements and beaches.

T. Venkat, a member of Walking Classes Unite, said that the group had done an audit of a stretch of road from Velankanni Church to the Kalakshetra Colony entrance in Besant Nagar. “With sensitive planning, space could be made available for pedestrians, hawkers and some parking,” he said.

Children, the elderly and the disabled are particularly at risk when footpaths are narrow or encroached, residents said. The Civil Society Group has expressed concern about the impact on footpaths during the road widening proposed on Besant Nagar Third Avenue and Shastri Nagar Main Road.

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