Around 20 Tangedco poles lie abandoned on the widened footpath, near the traffic intersection at SIDCO Nagar, opposite Nathamuni theatre in Villivakkam.
As this obstruction involves a busy junction, pedestrians are put to great inconvenience. Senior citizens have to exercise extra caution while taking the footpath.
Many commuters say the junction does not have police personnel and the signals are on the blink.
“Commuters cross the other side of Nathamuni bus stop to walk on the new footpath. But, they are forced to walk on the carriageway as electricity poles are lying on the pavement for close to a fortnight,” said K. Vishnu, a motorist from Villivakkam.
The traffic signal at Villivakkam junction, which separates CTH Road and New Avadi Road, is working round the clock whereas the signal at SIDCO Nagar junction has not been functioning for many months. A pedestrian crossing and a police booth are located near Nathamuni theatre but walkers have to cross the busy stretch on their own risking their lives. Also, unlike the footpath along Nathamuni theatre that is narrow, the new concrete footpath where the electricity poles have been dumped are wide. As a result, walkers have to walk on the narrow carriageway.
Corporation officials said that they had informed the Tangedco officials about having to relocate the electricity poles from the footpath. Tangedco officials said that the new poles were meant to replace the existing fragile poles along the stretch. “Due to shortage of manpower including linemen and foremen, we are unable to replace the old poles with new ones. Steps will be taken to remove the poles from the footpath soon,” said a Tangedco official.
