Anyone who has travelled on Rajiv Gandhi Salai would not have missed the hoardings that dot the sidewalk near the MRTS stations, from Madhya Kailash to Tiruvanmiyur.
One such hoarding came crashing down recently and though nobody was injured, the incident has raised concern among pedestrians and motorists. “During the rains, a huge hoarding fell on the sidewalk. Luckily, there was no one on the footpath or service lane at that time. But during rush hour, there is always a traffic jam and two-wheeler riders often get on to the service lane,” said M. Anandan, a pedestrian.
It was a while before the hoarding was cleared off the service lane, he said. “There are many such hoardings on the stretch and they pose a threat to those who use the road. The hoarding should be installed and maintained properly,” Mr. Anandan said.
When contacted, a Southern Railway official said: “The hoardings belong to a private party and after the incident, we asked them to remove the boards.”
In April 2008, the Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court order banning illegal and hazardous hoardings in Tamil Nadu. The Chennai Corporation too asked zonal officials to initiate action against unauthorised flex boards and hoardings in the city. Many advertisement boards on illegal bus shelters were removed by civic body officials.
