The Times of India          07.11.2013 

First step towards a pedestrianised zone

The removal of Pondy Bazaar's hawkers could be the beginning of a mega project that includes conversion of the stretch into a pedestrian zone.

On Tuesday, transport experts presented a plan for 'non-motorised transport safety' before the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) committee to make city's roads pedestrian-friendly.

The civic body has decided to speed up the semi-pedestrianisation of Pondy Bazar, Luz Church Road, Walajah Road and Sivananda Salai.

K P Subramanian, former professor, urban engineering department, Anna University, who made a presentation before the CUMTA committee said most roads are not designed with pedestrians in mind. "Pedestrians struggle to cross busy roads. One-way systems of traffic encourage motorists to drive fast," he said.

A senior corporation official who attended the meeting said: "We have been evaluating plans for semi- pedestrianisation in some areas. We have been consulting road experts about introducing cycle tracks and better parking systems. The accident rate involving pedestrians will come down once a non-motorised transport policy is implemented in the city."

In Chennai, 30% of the people who die in road accident are pedestrians and cyclists. "Flyovers also inconvenience walkers. There is little space left for the pedestrians when a flyover is constructed," said Subramanian.

In Pondy Bazaar, official said, hawkers had encroached on pavements and people had to walk in the middle of the road. A senior corporation official said: "The damaged pavements will be repaired soon. We are planning to install bollards on pavements so that motorists don't ride on them. We have also asked traffic police to restrict illegal parking on pavements."

The civic body is in talks with the traffic police to identify alternative routes to divert vehicles from Theagaraya Road, and the intersection with North Boag Road and Panagal Park, where the corporation proposes to restrict motorised vehicles. According to the T Nagar redevelopment design, commuters travelling from Kodambakkam to Anna Salai or other parts of T Nagar are likely to be diverted through G N Chetty Road and smaller streets off Theagaraya Road.