Home to wide pathways and a big park, Pulla Avenue in Shenoy Nagar, Chennai, is one of the busiest streets in the city. The street also houses the local offices of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Metrowater. And ever since the underground Chennai Metro Rail work began, with the station coming right under the park, the avenue has only gotten busier.

Pedestrians, meanwhile, find it difficult to use the footpath, with several eateries and vendors occupying it. The primary issue is: the new kiosks donated by the Chennai Corporation for vendors have been installed right in the middle of the footpath, making it a space for commercial purposes rather than pedestrian use. An eatery kiosk, in fact, has occupied a portion of the road, with the kitchen placed on the pedestrian pathway. With people standing in the middle of the road to eat, motorists as well as pedestrians are severely inconvenienced.

Owing to this, the road has become narrow, considerably slowing down traffic.

We request officials of the Chennai Corporation and City Traffic Police to take action in removing these kiosks to help pedestrians move freely on the footpath.

S. Raj Kumar,

Shenoy Nagar 

Chennai Corporation responds

A senior official of the Chennai Corporation said the kiosks were distributed with the purpose of not causing any hindrance to pedestrians. The complaint about the eatery occupying the footpath on Pulla Avenue would be forwarded, so that action is taken against the kiosk, the official said. 

Banner poses danger to motorists in Iyyappanthangal 

A big flex board banner has been placed at the margin of the Oil Mill Road and Ashok Brindavan Nagar 3rd main road junction. The board, with a length of 10 feet and width of five feet, is causing severe inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists, especially senior citizens, as it has been installed in a flimsy manner by tying it to a wooden pole. Also, the presence of the banner obstructs commuters’ visibility and poses a safety hazard to motorists who access the junction.

A complaint has been lodged with the local police in Iyyappanthangal detailing the danger the huge banner poses, as well as seeking action against those who installed it.

C. Senthil 

Iyyappanthangal