Traders encroach footpaths as corpn remains mute spectator

Coimbatore: Traders have encroached on the pedestrian pathways on Dr Nanjappa Road, forcing the general public to use the carriage way, where they face the threat of being hit by fast moving vehicles.
An important commercial hub that is famous for water pumps, the stretch draws several hundred shoppers a day from various places in the district, other districts in the state and neighbouring Kerala. Road users said the stretch between Avinashi Road and Park Gate Road Junction was always congested.
Traders have put their products on display on the footpath to attract customers, leaving little space for pedestrians, said a road user. While the road, which comes with a median, is wide enough, parking on both sides often leads to traffic snarls on the stretch. And pedestrians have no other option but to negotiate the busy road.
S Vijayalaksmi, a pedestrian, said they didn’t feel safe to walk on the carriage way. “We have to walk with the constant fear of being hit by vehicles. I feel unsafe every time walking on the road.”
V Senthilvel, a commuter from Avarampalayam, said the pedestrians on the carriage way were a threat to them as well. “They also hinder vehicular movement. By regulating parking on both sides of the road, authorities can make more room for vehicles. Double parking is a common sight on the stretch.”
Activists, meanwhile, urged the city corporation to take stern action against the illegal parking and encroachment of pedestrian pathway on the stretch. They said while the hawkers were evicted from Dr Nanjappa Road recently, the corporation hadn’t done anything to streamline the traders.
When contacted, a corporation official said they would carry out a drive to free pedestrian pathways of traders. “We have received similar complaints about other commercial areas. We will take strict action against such traders.”