Last week, the Bus Route Roads Department of the Greater Chennai Corporation removed slabs from the footpath, for a length of 150 metres, on Besant Avenue Road, near The Theosophical Society.
There is still not complete clarity on what the Greater Chennai Corporation is planning to execute on this section of the footpath. However, members of Spark, a city-based civic forum, say that according to information available with them, the civic body is working on a plan to turn this section of the footpath into a natural heritage area, with photography allowed.
T. D. Babu, founder, Spark, says this development raises concern at multiple levels.
One, this area is located 100 metres before a curve on the stretch, which is designated as an accident prone-zone.
He points out that while removing the slabs, the electrical ducts have been damaged.
The project is on hold after residents and Spark took up the issue with the top authorities in GCC.
“The residents were not consulted before the removal of the slabs from the footpath. Further, we won’t allow parking of vehicles at the area. Further, we have requested GCC to facilitate a steel railing along the footpaths to prevent encroachments by hawkers,” says Babu.
