Here, road space is at a premium

For J. Paranthaman, a 30-year resident of Thulukanathamman Koil Street in Kottur, stepping out of the house is a tortuous task. For, the road that he lives on, while housing a famous temple, is also a haven for fish, meat and vegetable sellers.

The street, home to nearly 500 families, is chock-a-block with stalls. Business is brisk, especially on weekends, when a large number of devotees throng the area.

“We find it very difficult to go anywhere. Shoppers park their vehicles near the stalls too,” Mr. Paranthaman says. Left-overs from the shops pile up too, say residents. The stalls open around 10 a.m. and function till sundown.

Some stall owners say they ensure the stalls are closed on festival days. “We don’t work when a lot of devotees visit the temple,” says J. Bhavani, who has a vegetable stall.

Corporation officials say that a building is being constructed to accommodate the stalls. “We are envisioning 16 rooms that can be split into 48 shops,” an official says, adding that the work will be completed in three months.

But, residents want the stalls to be moved to a makeshift area, before the permanent shifting. “Sometimes, these projects get delayed. We cannot keep suffering such inconvenience,” a resident says.