It has been more than a decade since the road overbridges at Palakkarai and Thennur were built in the city. Yet, the service roads running alongside the bridges still remain largely unserviceable.
Clogged as they are by encroachments and other impediments, road users continue to face a torrid time while negotiating the service roads along the T-shaped Thennur and Palakkarai road overbridges.
Several impediments have not been removed on the service lanes at Palakkarai and Thennur, and in many places, short stretches remain dead-ends. Vendors occupy most of the space on the narrow stretches on both sides here, virtually making it almost impossible for four-wheelers to pass through them.
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The Highways Department, which built the bridges, could not fully complete the service lanes for want of space. Motorists heading towards Thennur High Road from the Shastri Road junction face a tough time as traffic snarls are frequent on the narrow roads on either side.
A large number of goods vehicles, autorickshaws, private cars and vendors occupy the service lanes, compounding the problem. A couple of manholes opened for frequent repairs have not been closed yet on this stretch. The mushroom growth of shops along the stretch has led to indiscriminate parking of visitors to the commercial establishments. Even a hotel has been allowed to be built on this constricted stretch.
On the other side, the Ramakrishna Theatre corner on the service road on the left has been converted into an open garbage dump and urinal. And so has the stretch near the Tangedco Office at Thennur. The poorly lit stretch is also turning out to be a hangout for anti-social elements. The situation is similar in Palakkarai towards Heber Road.
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The service lanes have also come to be used as parking areas by goods vehicles, cars and even lorries. Though the Corporation had previously announced a plan to raise gardens beneath the bridges, the move did not take off. Subsequently, the civic body put up steel fencing beneath the bridges to prevent encroachments. But most encroachers continue to enjoy the space by simply jumping over the fences. In some places, solid waste is also dumped.
Civic officials also failed to make any headway on a proposal to acquire the required land on private negotiation for providing a ‘bell-mouth’ at the Anna Nagar Road-Shastri Road intersection, for a smoother two-way traffic beneath the bridge at the junction.
The safety of hundreds of school students has been jeopardised due to poor planning and execution as chaotic traffic conditions prevail at the junction.