The newly-laid footpath along the Porur and Manapakkam sections of Mount - Poonamallee Main Road is out of bounds for pedestrians as it has become a storage space for concrete pipelines. The underground water pipeline work of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) was completed in August 2018, but the unused pipes have been abandoned on footpath.
Lack of space within the premises of the CMWSSB (which houses an overhead tank) at Porur is said to be the reason for leaving the pipelines on the footpath. Also, the approach road to the CMWSSB campus was narrow, therefore the pipelines could not be transported into its facility.
“With the pipelines taking up all of the space on the pavement, pedestrians have to walk on the main thoroughfare putting themselves in harm’s way,” said B. Vasanthi, a resident in Porur.
There is an IT park and many commercial establishments along the stretch, therefore it witnesses heavy traffic including Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses.
The dumping of these new pipelines also obstructs traffic movement especially during rush hour as many of the pipelines are kept on a portion of the main carriageway.
Further, the street lights along the stretch are not bright making it difficult for walkers.
“Steps will be taken to relocate the pipelines soon,” says a CMWSSB official.
