CHENNAI : Ranganathan Street one of the most popular market streets in the city is devoid of a Corporation dustbin. Thousands of pedestrians who use the street daily, simply strew waste from their hand on to the street.The half-km-long street has hundreds of shops dotting either side. Add rain, to the problem.
The cardboard surplus thrown by the retail outlets, organic waste and plastic covers put away by the pedestrians, dissolve in the stagnant water, forming a muddy paste that carpets the stretch. “It is extremely difficult to get to the station. Shoppers occupy the relatively clean spots on the street. People trying to get to the station will have to walk through the dirty slush,” said Girija Jayakumar, who works in T Nagar.
According to data provided by the Southern Railways the Mambalam Railway Station adjacent to the street has an average footfall of 1.6 lakh people each day. Speaking to Express, the zonal official from the Greater Chennai Corporation said that it is “impractical” to keep a dustbin in the street.
He said that Corporation workers clear solid waste piles that are about 4 ft tall each morning. “Pedestrians and shopkeepers are not conscious of the environment. No matter how much we try, there is always a lot of waste on the street,” he said, blaming the public.However, he said that dustbins will be kept soon but will not make a difference. The arterial streets including Natesan Street and Rameswaram road have an overflowing dustbin each.