I have been a resident of T. Nagar for the past 25 years. Living in the area those days was a boon as residents had footpaths to walk on and parks for recreation. The vehicle movement was also minimal. Though T. Nagar was a much preferred destination to buy textiles and jewels even then, it was still not crowded. But today, it is a different T Nagar. It has grown beyond its size — thanks to the mushrooming growth of commercial establishments. Good road and rail connectivity is another reason the area drew many shoppers. Taking advantage of the situation, an equal number of hawkers too have grown putting up tents all over the place thus adding their ‘humble mite’ to the problem of congestion. Mobile eateries and juice stalls have come up at public places, obstructing traffic and also posing health hazards.
While one does not crib about the growth of T. Nagar, one is only worried about its unhealthy and unchecked growth. From 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., shops remain open. During the festival days, enforcement authorities making special arrangements to control traffic, literally sweat it out. On any given day, T. Nagar, a shoppers’ hub and an encroachers’ paradise, is the most congested. Over-commercialisation has also meant turning roads into parking lots.
In T. Nagar of today, there is no place that is not congested and not a day passes without some issue cropping up.
Residents thought that once the hawkers on Usman Road would be relocated at the complex in Pondy Bazaar, they could heave a sigh of relief. But this was not to be. A new set of hawkers/vendors have taken possession of the footpaths.
(Jayaraman has been an active voice behind civic problems in the neighbourhood. He is also a founder member of T. Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association.)
