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Trichy: Even as Trichy Corporation is renovating part of the city’s pedestrian platforms, at the same time flexible banners, billboards and encroachments invade the space intended for pedestrian traffic. Residents allege there is virtually no eviction campaign to preserve pedestrian space for offenders, while several establishments, including the company, use the platforms for advertising and business operations.
As of January 2020, the company has been renovating the city’s damaged pedestrian platforms by spending Rs 69 crore as part of the Smart Cities Mission. However, the docks on the arteries and commercial streets, where civil works have been completed, are of no use to pedestrians. As shopping complexes block pedestrian space to place billboards, the pedestrian platforms of Thillai Nagar, Sastri Road, Thennur High Road and Pattabiraman Road shopping streets have been encroached in several places. Shoppers parking their vehicles in vacant spaces were forced to cross the right-of-way of roads leading to stores amid fast two-wheelers weaving through space.
“Commercial establishments are occupying the pedestrian platforms because there is no law enforcement. Restaurants keep their stoves above pedestrian slabs, â€said H Ananth Kumar, a resident of Annamalai Nagar. Even Trichy Corporation was caught red-handed recently for blocking a pedestrian area just outside its main office on Bharathidasan Road with a flexible banner for an official event.
Although there is no permission to erect banners on pedestrian platforms, the practice continues in various parts of the city. Even the encroachment of businesses on the pedestrian area remains unchallenged. In Pattabiraman Street, two-wheelers were parked in the pedestrian area.
However, company officials said they would carry out an eviction campaign to clear the aisles. “We will now be more careful in setting up the company’s flex banners, without disturbing the public. There will be a campaign to remove obstacles on pedestrian platforms, â€a senior company official said.
As of January 2020, the company has been renovating the city’s damaged pedestrian platforms by spending Rs 69 crore as part of the Smart Cities Mission. However, the docks on the arteries and commercial streets, where civil works have been completed, are of no use to pedestrians. As shopping complexes block pedestrian space to place billboards, the pedestrian platforms of Thillai Nagar, Sastri Road, Thennur High Road and Pattabiraman Road shopping streets have been encroached in several places. Shoppers parking their vehicles in vacant spaces were forced to cross the right-of-way of roads leading to stores amid fast two-wheelers weaving through space.
“Commercial establishments are occupying the pedestrian platforms because there is no law enforcement. Restaurants keep their stoves above pedestrian slabs, â€said H Ananth Kumar, a resident of Annamalai Nagar. Even Trichy Corporation was caught red-handed recently for blocking a pedestrian area just outside its main office on Bharathidasan Road with a flexible banner for an official event.
Although there is no permission to erect banners on pedestrian platforms, the practice continues in various parts of the city. Even the encroachment of businesses on the pedestrian area remains unchallenged. In Pattabiraman Street, two-wheelers were parked in the pedestrian area.
However, company officials said they would carry out an eviction campaign to clear the aisles. “We will now be more careful in setting up the company’s flex banners, without disturbing the public. There will be a campaign to remove obstacles on pedestrian platforms, â€a senior company official said.
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