Garbage collection, encroachment of pavements and vehicular parking have become perennial problems in the city. Division 123 is no different.
But if one were to single out any issue that left residents greatly agitated, it was the traffic diversion introduced in February, 2010 making TTK Road and CP Ramaswamy Road one-way. Crossing these roads even at 10 p.m. was scary, especially for children, women and senior citizens.
Frequent accidents were reported because of speeding of vehicles and many dogs and cats were killed. Residents of Alwarpet Street had to travel about a kilometre to cross TTK Road.
Residents decided to fight this issue and this brought many in the area together. We held many meetings during the weekends, staged demonstrations and road roko . We met the police officials — Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, IG and the Commissioner — and submitted memorandums. We went on representing the issue for one year and four months.
Finally, in 2011, we found a solution after we represented the problem to the new government. The traffic was reverted. We next wanted encroachments on TTK Road and CP Ramaswamy Road removed.
I submitted a memorandum to the Inspector General of Police. We wanted TTK Road and CP Ramaswamy Road made two-way as it was before the construction of the flyover at Alwarpet junction, remove encroachments and reverse the traffic movement on the Alwarpet flyover from CP Ramaswamy Road to TTK Road instead of the existing TTK to CP Ramaswamy Road flow.
Only the traffic was reverted and other issues still exist.
(Muralidharan is a bio-medical engineer and a resident of BM Garden)
