Chennai Corporation has recently begun relaying damaged pavements across the neighbourhood.
The work is now on at the pavement off Dr. MGR Janaki College at Durgabhai Deshmukh Road, R.A.Puram and at R.K. Mutt Road.
Says a Corporation official, who was at the site, “We are identifying damaged pavements in the neighbourhood and relaying them, one by one.”
We will be clearing encroachments like roadside shops before relaying the footpath.
I used to live in Abhiramapuram first street till 2008.
In the first street I have made sample traffic survey in those days. In 1971 the sample count by me showed the no. of vehicles (2 &4 wheelers) per day in First street was around 120. In2006 similar sample survey showed the number as 1300! This is a 11 fold increase in the vehicles. We can reasonably assume that for the total Chennai also the number of vehicles on road would have increased 11 times in the same period.
I can definitely say the road lengths in Chennai would not have even increased twice in the same period! What ever effort that can be taken now can not then reduce the traffic problem unless we have more roads.
NOW where is the space for more roads!?
The only answer is therefore to adopt the same strategy adopted in Singapore Down Town Area.
Reduce and discourage use of private vehicle and significantly increase public transport and use of Bicycles. There is no other remedy!
Sridharan