Parked vehicles take over footpaths on Luz Church Road

CHENNAI: Wide footpaths along

Luz Church

Road in

Mylapore

have fallen victim to illegal vehicle parking, thanks to commercial giants who fail to provide parking space.


Store visitors and road users are irked by parked cars lining the road while footpaths are taken over by two-wheelers.

A visit to Luz Church Road, a one-way stretch, showed cars parked on the left side of the road, leaving only half the carriageway for vehicles passing by. A noted multi-specialty hospital has taken over the

footpath

to be exclusively used as two-wheeler parking.

“Many buses ply on the stretch daily. If the entire road was available, there won’t be any traffic hassle,” said C S Baskar of Mylapore.

“There are three hospitals nearby and accessible through Luz Church Road. How will an ambulance move about in the time of need if cars choke the carriageway like this,” asked Shanthi K, an Adyar resident visiting Mylapore, shocked at the apathy of shop-owners.

She added that if commercial establishments can’t provide parking for so many people, they should abstain from encroaching public property. “I saw an old couple struggling to find space to walk on the footpaths. This is endangering one’s right to life by forcing them to walk amid vehicles on the road,” she said.

After an hour’s struggle, she was able to reach out to the nearest traffic police station and have the vehicles towed, said Shanthi.

Others, however, are not so lucky. Despite complaints to commercial establishments, corporation and the traffic police, residents of Mylapore are unable to tackle the rampant

encroachment

of public property by vendors or vehicles.

An officer of the Mylapore police said based on complaints, recovery vehicles are sent to tow encroaching vehicles and the encroacher is penalized, but the problem persists. “Now, except a handful of personnel, the entire police force has been diverted for election work. Until April 19, staff shortage will persist. After that we will set out after encroachers once again,” he said.