Women taking stretch feel threatened
Vehicles parked illegally beneath the Padi flyover. (Photo: DC/File)
Chennai: The space below the Padi bridge is being misused for anti-social activities and illegal parking of vehicles. Shopkeepers and road users say it could be given for more shops or parking lots. This will also increase the revenue of the local body.
Padi flyover connecting Villivakkam, Red Hills, Ambattur, coming under Zone 7 Ambattur, and Zone 8 Anna Nagar was opened to public in 2010. The bridge, which received good patronage from the public following development in the area and better transportation, is now criticised for being misused by people coming to the nearby wine shop.
“Tipplers use the space beneath the bridge daily in the evenings and this embarrasses women, who commute on the road. With no alternate road women are forced to use this route,” says S Kumar, a resident of Red Hills.
Secretary of Thiruvengadam Nagar Association S. Suresh said though the bridge has reduced traffic congestion, women and children still use the road below. Officials of the local body said, “The bridge and the land below belong to the highways department. But, a letter was written from the Anna Nagar zone six months ago to give permission to utilise the space. But, there was no reply. The officers in the zone also did not follow up the issue after that.”
Soon, steps will be taken to remind the highways department to utilise the 300 metres of area usefully and permission will be obtained, the officers said. According to an officer in the Ambattur zone, the highways department said that it required the space to store its stock.
( Source : dc )
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