Almost a month ago, a small space under the Nagal Nagar bridge was cleaned up, fenced and turned into an outdoor reading spot by the efforts of the traders in the area.
Before that, the space used to be a den for anti-social elements and activities, where during the evenings, men used to drink and engage in drunken brawls.
However, such unsafe spaces continue to exist in the centre of Dindigul town and residents and road users demand action from police. The space underneath bridges have become safe havens for anti-social elements, not only due to poor maintenance and lighting but also because of lack of police surveillance, feel residents.
The newly-opened Hanumanthanagar bridge is one such space where after 7 p.m., vehicle users are scared to use the bridge. “Last month, a chain snatching incident was reported from there. A month before the bridge was opened, a murder was reported beneath the bridge. One problem is that there are no lights on the bridge and the other problem is that there is no fencing to stop people from entering the space below the bridge,” said S. Ramanathan, a resident of the area. “In the evenings, it is common for men to drink in the open under the bridge. This has made the service road near the bridge unsafe.”
A similar problem is reported at the Tiruchi Road bridge near City Hospital, where again men use it as an open bar, made convenient by the presence of a TASMAC outlet near by. “The fence under the Tiruchi Road bridge was broken recently and anti-social elements have gained entry to the underside of the bridge. Even under the busy Nagal Nagar bridge, anti-social activities continue to happen. The sale and use of ganja is also happening in these spaces,” alleged H. Raja Kannan of Consumer Protection Forum.
“Despite installing CCTV cameras in vantage points, these activities in the heart of the town has been going on unchecked. Police should increase physical surveillance through patrols in such locations known for anti-social activities and put up warning boards with a complaint number, so that the public can inform them about such activities. Only safe and secure public spaces can ensure safety to public,” he added.
“We have been doing crime-prevention drives regularly. Even last week, we did a surprise drive at the Nagal Nagar bridge after receiving such complaints and booked a few in nuisance cases. We will step up surveillance in these pockets and take necessary action,” said a senior police officer.
