Old problems have returned to haunt the renovated Kodambakkam flyover. The space under the flyover seems to have been taken over by cab drivers, again. Miscreants have removed the steel fences placed by the Greater Chennai Corporation. These fences were aimed at protecting the space from vandalism and misuse.
The worst of the problems is unauthorised agents charging ‘parking fee’, ranging from Rs. 20 to Rs. 40, without issuing tokens.
Motorists say all these are proving to be more than a malpractice. They are a safety hazard. As cabs negotiate the narrow service lanes meant for two-wheelers and pedestrians, the risk of accidents near the ramp of the flyover has gone up.
As the police booth is located around 200 metres from the flyover, miscreants find it more convenient.
Interestingly, Meenakshi College for Women is also located a few hundred metres from the flyover. Many women students from the neighbourhood use the service lane.
“At night, we find the service lane unsafe as it is narrow and poorly-lit. So, we avoid the stretch,” says K. Renuka, a student of the college. The Kodambakkam flyover was the first flyover in the city to be built by the State government.
Earlier, such flyover works were exclusively carried out by the Corporation of Madras. The flyover was renovated a few years ago by the Corporation. Prior to the renovation, the Greater Chennai Corporation rented the space beneath the flyover mainly for small-scale industrial units including workshops.
However, with the structure of the flyover becoming weak, it was decided that the space beneath the flyover would be fenced after the renovation had been completed. Accordingly, the fence was installed more than a year ago. “We will take necessary steps to remove the encroachments beneath the Kodambakkam flyover,” says a Corporation official.
