DC’s second green initiative: Save Chennai pavements

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Capital city Chennai is neither green nor has commitment to walkers like in western countries where exclusive civic agencies devotedly focus on proper spacious buildings with approach roads having footpaths for pedestrians.

As encroachments, electricity junction boxes, telephone cable pillars, parked two-wheelers, worn out cars and other structures obstruct footpaths, Deccan Chronicle Chennai will embark on its second ‘Green Chronicle’ initiative from Sunday, focussing on the neglected pavements of Chennai.

After a month-long successful campaign on e-waste, DC will now focus on creating footpaths for the people of Chennai.

Except for a few streets in Anna Nagar, Besant Nagar and Boat Club area having space for pedestrians, 90 per cent of the city is unsafe for walkers.

The vehicle population in 2007 was around 5 lakh but the number has now jumped to 36 lakh. As a result, several roads have been widened and, mostly, it is the pavements and avenue trees that have been sacrificed for this.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, in its second master plan, pointed out that poor drainage system, compounded by frequent cutting open of footpaths for repairing utility and service lines, has led to reduction of pavement space in the metropolis.

It is not as if the lack of pavements has not attracted the notice of the authorities. In 2009–10, Chennai corporation allocated Rs 12 crore and assured better pavements to a distance of 120 kilometre in Chennai of the then total 2,847 kilometre road network (prior to the city’s expansion).

Subsequently, the civic body, in coordination with Chennai City Connect (CCC), a non-profitable trust to study and improve the condition of pavements in Chennai, started constructing people-friendly pavements.

A 1-km stretch at Dr Muthulakshmi Salai (L.B. Road), from Shastri Nagar junction to M.G. Road junction, in Adyar zone, was selected and works were taken up, but the pilot project remained just that.

Also, for the first time, the corporation used disabled-friendly tiles along pavements similar to those laid in Japan.

The cost of the tile per square metre was estimated at Rs 1,007. Disabled-friendly pedestrians have a strip of tiles with embossed grips that would help even the visually-challenged walk without any disruption. These tiles will not make one slip even if they are wet or sandy.

On a trial basis, these tiles were placed along the intersections of arterial roads like E.V.R. Periyar high road, Raja Muthiah Salai and Vepery high road, but even this project was not expanded to other parts of Chennai.

And now, with the city being expanded from 174 sq km to 426 sq km, a lot more needs to be done.