This is meant to be turned into a world-class road soon as per Chennai Corporation plan. Let’s look at how far it is from achieving that status. The 11th Avenue Road in Ashok Nagar could have easily been the pride of the city, with a 120 feet broad road, ample green cover, neat and clean surroundings and a walker’s paradise, but for a few issues: the biggest one being the absence of any platforms, unauthorised parking of heavy vehicles and hawking.
When the area was developed in the 1970s by the Housing Board, this broad road was constructed to connect Ashok Nagar with T. Nagar via Srinivasa Theatre in West Mambalam on one side and Ramapuram and Porur on the other. “You can hardly reach these destinations if you take the road today. Of late, the 11th Avenue Road is losing its charm. Few years ago, the Corporation convened a meeting of residents, activists and NGOs to take their opinion about creating a world-class road starting from Dr. Ambedkar Salai in kodambakkam through Ashok Nagar 1st Avenue, Ashok Pillar and 11th Avenue. But, how can you have a world-class road with encroachments by slums near the Ambedkar Statue and unauthorised parking at 11th Avenue?” asks Kadayam Shardlow Ramaswamy, a long-time resident of Ashok Nagar and a social activist.
A world-class road should have uniform platforms. At 11th Avenue, the platform is either missing or unapproachable at many places. “A private travel company has been using the road to park its buses. Despite complains to the Deputy Commissioners’ office, it continues to use the stretch. Immediately after the complaint, a few buses were removed, but next day they were parked on the road again,” he says.
Private water lorries also find convenient parking slot on the road. “We can hardly use the platform. With parked vehicles eating up road space, pedestrians are forced to walk in the middle of the road, vying with fast-moving vehicles,” says Supraja, another resident.
Many from nearby areas also use the stretch to practise driving. But, the presence of roadside mobile eateries and fruit vendors make it difficult to learn driving safely now. “The 11th Avenue has turned into a mini unauthorised Koyambedu, with a line of fruit vendors stationing themselves on the road corners. We have raised this issue with the authorities concerned as well, but nothing concrete has been done. Would the world-class road rehabilitate these hawkers? We don’t want their livelihood to be hit and at the same time the road should not be turned into a space for business,” says Ramaswamy.
Also, with no pedestrian crossing or working traffic signals on the stretch, accidents have become a regular feature. “Most accidents are minor and not reported. I myself have helped injured people on the stretch,” he adds. The residents of the area say the issues must be resolved or else 11th Avenue will be world-class only in name.
