Encroachments on either side of Bharathi Salai (Pycrofts
Road), Triplicane High Road and Jam Bazaar were removed on Saturday
jointly by the Traffic Police and the Chennai Corporation.

“These
roads have small shops and in most cases, the shops extend to the
footpath, thus forcing pedestrians to walk on the narrow roads. In
instances where two-wheelers are parked beside shops, even customers
have to stand on the road to buy things,” said inspector B.
Purushothaman, D1, Traffic Police Station, Triplicane.

Awnings
and sun shades too were removed as part of the drive in which 15
policemen and 10 corporation employees took part. Shops that had
encroached upon the platform space lost their wares and property such as
wooden benches, crates and gunny bags. These include provision stores,
shoe shops, bag shops and those selling ‘naattu marundhu’.

“We
carry out such drives on a regular basis as a deterrent to shopkeepers.
They have to understand that pedestrians too need space to walk
safely,” he added. Encroachments from the sides of about a kilometre of
road were removed in the operation, said traffic sub inspectors G.
Rajendran and K. Murugesan.

Two wheelers that were parked in No Parking Zones were also towed away by the police.

Shopkeepers
however complained that they were not given any prior notice. “We have
lost our goods. They could have asked us to remove the things
voluntarily,” said a shop owner, who did not want to be named.