The residents of the famous commercial hub of Chennai the T.Nagar fret and fume about the very safe haven. Their freedom to move out and move in is being curtailed by the 1000 and over hawkers and the illegal parking of the hawkers push cart and the shopper’s vehicles.
As early as in 1920s this famous shoppers nest was well planned and constructed by the then Raja of Panagal under the Madras Presidency. The famous residents once were cine-actors and politicians. In recent years there is a spurt in people thronging to this hub to purchase r variety of things ranging from gold, cloth utensil, food, and there is something or the other to fit every pocket.
On a typical weekend the number of people this commercial hub soars up to 7, 00, and 00 and during festival it would cross 2 million says police. T. Nagar in fact has become a topic of discussion in several spheres be it traffic congestion, crime, gold, cloth, apathy of house owners etc., for the past few years. Inconceivable crowd totter the residents and they dread about the increase in crime.
Those living on Motilal Street, Mahalakshmi Street, Mangai Street, Dandapani Street, Ramanathan Street, Burkit Road, Sarojini Street, Rameswaram Street, Ramanathan Street etc., around Ranganathan Street, the commercial hub, near T Nagar flyover have marched up to the R-1 Mambalam police station on January 13 (Sunday) around 3 p.m. to voice their concerns. Around 30 of them including their women folk approached DC -Law and order Traffic AC, inspector of the Mambalam station And DC Traffic. Their agitation named ‘protective shelter’ sought police intervention in the obstruction and blocking of roads by traders, vendors and shoppers, who park their vehicles in an unauthorised parking lots and even right in the centre of the streets adjoining the main road.
“Pavement hawkers park their carts in front of the gate and there is no way we can enter our own houses. And, when I say, I will complain to the police, the hawkers say that they have police permit.” Says Mr. Swaminathan, one of the residents, “When we approach the traffic police they ask us to go to the corporation officials, and in turn they say to go to the police. And it is a vicious circle says another resident. Even the Chennai Corporation does not extend any help in clearing the waste left by the vendors and the shoppers, alleges another resident. The T. Nagar Residents Association feels that joint intervention by the police, traffic and the corporation officials will ease the problem of unauthorised parking by traders and shoppers. The city traffic police made many arrangements which were in force for a few months not maintained throughout. The shopping hub of Chennai provides livelihood for traders and pavement hawkers and gives a happy shopping experience to the shoppers at the cost of residents’ peace.