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Court to the rescue of choking Madras streets

Papri Sri Raman in Madras

The Tamil Nadu capital's choking arterial roads will finally get unclogged with a court giving the civic authorities and police the power to evict vendors and commercial shacks from the pavements.

The Madras high court has rejected an appeal by the vendors of Thyagaraja Nagar, commonly referred to as T Nagar, to continue doing business on the streets, especially the busy Usman Road.

The Usman Road association of small traders had asked the court to direct the city police not to disturb them. Police lawyers pointed out that the road, a major bus and vehicle route, is heavily congested. They quoted from a 1980 order of the high court that had given the police the right to evict vendors from Ranganathan Street, another popular shopping area.

The vendors' lawyer said it was their constitutional right to trade on the street. But Justice S Jagadeesan said the vendors had no right to occupy road space meant for vehicles and pedestrians.

Though Usman Road may soon be cleared of vendors, pavement stalls are everywhere in the city. One can find hammocks made from Chinese nylon and plastic rain covers being sold along the Sardar Patel Salai pavement, just a furlong from the Raj Bhavan, the governor's residence.

Once upon a time this road used to be wide and secluded. Now one can barely see the sidewalk, where banana sellers, snack carts, bangle sellers and leather goods traders jostle for space.

"We go where the city goes," said Kamaktchi, a lemon seller at the busy M G Road crossing.

It is difficult to find walking space in Besant Nagar and Nungambakkam High Road, where Chinese food vans are parked right on the street, obstructing traffic. Equally difficult to negotiate is Eldams Road, which turns into a flower and vegetable market from dawn. The Luz Church Road is filled with fruit carts and safety pin sellers.

Indo-Asian News Service

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