Encroachments on Velachery Main Road removed

Corporation removes 12 shops on the busy bus route

The Greater Chennai Corporation workers removing the encroachments on Velachery Main Road, near Halda Junction, in Chennai on Monday. | Photo Credit: R. Ravindran

The Greater Chennai Corporation has resumed demolition of encroachments along bus route roads to facilitate better traffic flow.

On Monday, 12 shops on Velachery Main Road were demolished. “The encroachments had been causing traffic congestion in the area for several years. The road width had reduced by 25 feet because of the encroachments, including tea shops, two-wheeler garages, juice shops, eateries and scrap dealers,” said an official.

Residents and motorists had been complaining about congestion on bus routes. The civic body had taken action in the case of routes such as Paper Mills Road where the width had been reduced to 11 metres.

The High Court had directed the Corporation to remove encroachments on some stretches. During the widening of Kaliammankoil Street, the civic body removed several encroachments. After this, traffic congestion had reduced in the area.

Similarly, road width on bus routes such as Tank Bund Road in Nungambakkam had shrunk. Residents said they had brought it to the notice of the authorities concerned.

Encroachment of the newly built pavements along roads such as the E.V.K. Sampath Salai had reduced the space available for pedestrians. Civic officials have been asked to identify and remove such bottlenecks along major roads.