CHENNAI: In the midst of a garbage crisis, Ward-175 (Indira Nagar) locality is being swamped by concrete blockades and obstructions that make pavements unsafe for the locals. Karthikeyan T, a resident of the locality, says though primarily a residential area, some of the most serious civic hazards have not been looked into.
“Indira Nagar is largely considered to be one of the better areas in the city, but there are constant issues of infrastructure maintenance, which put hurdles in our way. It has already been three months after the rains and more concrete have piled up on footpath,” he says pointing to the stack of cement blocks propped up along road sides.
Adjacent to these obstructions, which lay right in front of homes and the few commercial complexes, garbage bins offer an unpleasant sight. The overflowing trash and concrete waste occupy most of the space of the pedestrian path. Indira Nagar serves as a carriageway for several heavy duty vehicles seeking a traffic-less detour heading towards Sardar Patel Road and IT Expressway, leaving almost no clean road space for residents.
Twisha Govind, a regular jogger, says that though the neighbourhood has plenty of shade thanks to avenue trees, it is not pedestrian-friendly. “Where are the footpaths here?” she asks wrinkling her face at the sight of the heaped trash, which line the entire stretch of the integral 2nd Avenue and the 3rd Avenue roads. These roads was filled with many fallen trees and accumulated litter during the deluge in November and December last year. But it has been over three months after the rains, and an effective clean-up of Indira Nagar is yet to happen. In the meantime, long-time residents and morning walkers suffer the concrete mess and other debris in silence.