Garbage and construction debris have made a one-and-a-half kilometre stretch between Constable Road and Mannady Othavadai Street extremely unfriendly to pedestrians.
Constable Road runs through the Integral Coach Factory and Mannady Othavadai Street is in Villivakkam.
“With a slight drizzle, the stretch gets water-logged. The sidewalks are invariably slushy, forcing pedestrians on to the road,” says P. T. Joyce, a resident of Villivakkam.
Motorists bring a different dimension to the problem. Vehicles proceeding towards ICF and Villivakkam, via East Seeyalam Street and Bharatha Rathna Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Road, Villivakkam, come at a break-neck speed, putting the lives of pedestrians at high risk. Joyce considers motorcylists the worst offenders.
Motorists are also exposed to danger.
“Motorists find it difficult to negotiate this stretch as it is full of potholes and has no street lights. As a result, minor accidents occur frequently,” R. Prabhu said.
Further down, on Dr. Ambedkar Road, near Sri Gokul Foundations and Royal Flats, concrete slab walls have been constructed to mount water tanks, which eat into the area meant for pedestrians, says Prabhu.
“Authorities concerned should install street lights and lay speed breakers with reflectors at the earliest,” says M. Kumar, a resident of Mannady Othavadai Street.
Temple tank
Thiruveeedhi Amman Temple Tank on Mannadi Othavadai Street, Villivakkam, has become a dumping yard, and is overrun with hyacinths.
The tank is a vital groundwater source,” says J. George, a resident of the area.
Residents say a proposal to de-silt and restore the tank before the onset of the North Eastern Monsoon, to replenish the groundwater, did not materialise.
We have represented the issue to the Chennai Corporation Ward 95 Councillor A. Fathima several times but in vain, residents added.
An elected representative said directives have been issued to the Corporation to de-silt the water body and to drain the rain water from storm-water drains to the lake.
