For over two decades, residents of Villivakkam have been trying to persuade Corporation officials to widen the congested Red Hills Road. This stretch connects the bus terminus and the railway station in the neighbourhood.
The location of the one-kilometre-long road is cited as the reason for the deadlock.
The eastern section of the road comes under Corporation Ward 65 and its western section, under Corporation Ward 94. What makes the issue more complicated is that the narrow stretch falls under two MLA constituencies — Kolathur (which has the eastern part) and Villivakkam (which has the western part).
“Authorities of both wards blame each other for the delay in widening the stretch,” says A.V. Surendiran, chairman, Rajaji Nagar Residents Welfare Association, Villivakkam.
The Red Hills Road may be narrow, but is still extremely valuable as it provides the shortest route for residents of northern Villivakkam, Rajaji Nagar, South and North Jaganathan Nagar, Srinivasan Nagar, Rajamangalam, Baba Nagar and Bharathi Nagar to reach Anna Nagar. These residents head to Anna Nagar for shopping.
Besides this, the road connects north and south Villivakkam. More importantly, residents use the stretch to pick and drop their children at prominent schools in Anna Nagar every day.
According to residents, the original plan was to widen the stretch and having the subway replace the railway level crossing (LC: 02).
However, delay in land acquisition for the subway project forced the Corporation officials to change this plan.
As per the revised plan, it was decided that subway work would be carried out in the first phase; and later, when necessary funds are allocated, road widening could be taken up.
Over the years, encroachments have come up on both sides of the stretch, in the form of houses and commercial establishments. Originally, the road was 90-feet wide; now, it’s just 30-feet wide. “We will organise a public discussion on the widening work before formulating a plan for the revival of the project,” said a Corporation official.
