COIMBATORE: Driving around in Coimbatore might be a cakewalk but walking through some of the localities in the city is definitely a tough task for pedestrians.
Raja Street, an important shopping hotspot situated near Town Hall, is one such place. Huge crowds can be seen any time of the year as people from across the city swarm the street to buy household items and groceries. The 1.38 km stretch is located close to Vysial Street and Oppanakara Street.
TNIE visited Raja Street to see if it was pedestrian-friendly. It was not a pleasant sight, to say the least. Anxiety writ large on the faces of most pedestrians as they strutted across the road, mindful of the speeding vehicles.
Twenty-five-year-old G Ramesh held his boy's hand with a tight grip as vehicles zoomed past. "I visit the TK Market at Raja Street once a month to buy grocery items since the prices are nominal when compared to other places. I’ve always found walking difficult on this stretch since it lacks a proper pedestrian track," he said.
A road user P Usha Devi said, "I parked my two-wheeler away from where the market is located. As I walked down, I noticed that shops had encroached a portion of the road. The encroached area is where the pedestrian track has to come."
N Logu, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice (CCV), said Raja Street was one of the locations where heavy traffic flow is observed every day. Complaining that several shops have encroached on stretch, Logu suggested that the corporation plan a drive to remove them. Also, he pointed out that even Oppanakara Street nearby was not spared from haphazard parking of two-wheelers on the footpaths.
Kovai Thiyagi Kumaran Market Anaithu Kaikani Viyabarigal Sangam president M Rajendran said they have taken the issue to the notice of the State government to build a two-wheeler parking zone to address the parking issue in the locality.
Rajendran added, "The lone two-wheeler parking lot in the vicinity is being utilised for constructing a commercial complex to house 88 shops. This has forced motorists to park their two-wheelers on the road. We suggest that a portion of the four-wheeler parking lot in the stretch be earmarked for two-wheeler parking." He recalled that Raja Street was a one-way stretch three decades ago.
A police officer said the department would ensure a smooth flow of pedestrian movement at Oppanakara Street street by extending the footpath during Deepavali and important festivals. The officer, however, stated the pedestrian-friendly initiative does not apply to Raja Street.
City corporation official said they would conduct an anti-encroachment drive based on the directions of the higher officials.