COIMBATORE: Finding space to walk is a gruelling exercise as pavements on the 100-feet-road near Gandhipuram are invariably occupied by two-wheelers or encroached by shopkeepers. Several streets in the neighbourhood lead to the road which houses textile show4rooms, electronic shops and mobile showrooms.
A Manoj, who uses the stretch regularly, said he had to get down and get on to the pavement frequently because of the obstacles. "It is very dangerous to use the footpath on 100-feet-road as the drainage channel covered by concrete is damaged and broken in many places. At night, I prefer to walk on the road despite the heavy traffic as there is a chance of falling into the drain."
The other drawback in the area is two-wheelers parked on the footpath. In a few places, four-wheelers are also seen parked in the no-parking zone and in cramped spaces.
T Palanisamy, who was shopping for electronic items, said underground parking is available in various textile and electronic showrooms but complained that most of the customers park their vehicles outside for easy access. He added, "This issue has been prevailing for several years now. The civic body which is responsible for maintaining the pedestrian track is turning a blind eye. Severe action must be taken against the shopkeepers encroaching the public space."
RTI activist SP Thiyagarajan said, "During the evening, hawkers set up shops on the pavement which disrupts the pedestrian movement. The placement of hawkers must be regularised to ensure the free flow of pedestrians."
S M Ubaidu Rahman, a member of the Town Vending Committee explained that the city was selected for the model town vending project by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2019. However, the project, which aims at earmarking separate spaces for the street vendors, is getting delayed due to the pandemic, he further said. "In the initial phase of the project, 10 places were selected for housing the street vendors at a nominal rent to boost their business. We urge the corporation to expedite the project for the benefit of vendors," Ubaidu Rahman added.
Deputy Commissioner of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) M Sharmila said the assistant town planning officers were told to remove the encroachments and create a pedestrian-friendly space. "The drive to remove hoardings, banners and digital banners is underway," Sharmila added.