CHENNAI: ECR encroachment ‘blocks’ HC order

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on July 27, 2010:

CHENNAI: Over three years have passed by now but the Madras High Court order directing the Kancheepuram district administration to remove roadside encroachment on East Coast Road (ECR) at Injambakkam to smoothen traffic at a dangerous curve is yet to be implemented.

Also, RTI pleas filed by a local resident seeking information on what happened to the court order and what caused the delay were not answered properly as they replied that the issue did not fall within their limits. Applicants were also told to get details from local officials.

Irked over the lethargic attitude of the local authorities in removing obstacles along the L-shaped dangerous curve on the ECR stretch near Injambakkam, I H Sekar, secretary of the Injambakkam Village Welfare Association, had moved the Madras High Court seeking favourable solution to the problem in 2002. “Though the court pronounced its order in 2007 directing the removal of encroachment, nothing has been done so far and people are suffering due to surging traffic at the dangerous curve which has witnessed several fatal accidents,” Sekar told the Express.

According to details obtained under an RTI plea from the police department, the deadly curve at Injambakkam has recorded 12 fatal and 25 non-fatal accidents during 1997-2007 (up to June). Also, the stretch in Injambakkam has recorded more accidents in the ECR compared to Uthandi and Panaiyur stretches.

“The rate of accidents at the spot has remained the same over the years and in June, a 35-year-old was fatally knocked down near the curve by a speeding lorry,” Sekar added.

When contacted, R Pachamuthu, president of the Injambakkam Village Panchayat, said, “In another six months to one year’s time, encroachment at the curve will be removed as ECR is set for expansion. However, politicians of the ruling parties are obstructing the proposal and have‘requested’ the district administration to halt the road-expansion work till Assembly elections,” Pachamuthu added.