TIRUCHY: Encroachments along East Boulevard (EB) Road and Pattabiraman Street in Tiruchy have become a serious issue, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and raising concerns over public safety. Along the EB Road, footpaths are encroached upon by scrap dealers.
Large quantities of scrap materials, including metal and plastic waste, are stacked on the footpaths, leaving little space for the public to walk. The remaining spaces on the footpaths are encroached by illegal parking of lorries.
The ASG Lourdusamy Pillai Memorial Park, a recreation spot for children and senior citizens, also stands inaccessible for the public as the footpath leading to the park is filled with the scrap materials. "This park was one of the few open spaces in the area. Now it is inaccessible because of scrap dumping and the corporation's UGD pipes, and authorities seem to have turned a blind eye.
We have raised the issue with corporation officials, but no concrete action has been taken," I Sidiq, a resident of Chinthamani told TNIE. On Pattabiramman Street, the situation is equally alarming. Footpaths meant for pedestrians have been almost entirely taken over by used two-wheeler showrooms. Vehicles are parked on the pavements, leaving no space for people to walk.
As a result, pedestrians, including schoolchildren and senior citizens, are forced to use the busy road, navigating through speeding vehicles and frequent traffic congestion. "The footpath has completely disappeared. We are compelled to walk on the road every day, and it feels dangerous, especially during peak hours.
Minor accidents have become common, particularly in the mornings and evenings when traffic volume is high," said, A Selvaraj, a regular commuter. He also said that such encroachments reflect poor enforcement and a lack of regular monitoring by the Tiruchy City Corporation and the city police.
Residents, along with several councillors, have demanded that the Tiruchy City Corporation and the police conduct immediate inspections, remove encroachments, and restore the footpaths and park for public use. When contacted, a senior Corporation official told TNIE, "We will carry out a drive to remove the encroachments at these spots." A city police official said, “During our patrols, we warn them. However, we will look into the matter.”