Motorists passing through Pillaiyar Koil Street, Nesapakkam will be shocked to see a huge banner put up in Tamil stating ‘Kavu Kettu Varum Kazhivu Neer Lorrigal’.
Three people have died due to reckless driving by those plying sewage tankers heading to the sewage treatment plant at Nesapakkam.
Residents say that tankers coming from Ramapuram, Valasarawakkam, Porur, Annai Sathya Nagar Main Road enter the narrow stretch of Pillaiyar Koil Street and this leads to frequent accidents due to rash driving. Another problem is that they have also broken the stormwater manholes laid on one side of the road.
“This problem has been going on for more than a decade. In 2006, a woman with her sister’s daughter was riding a bicycle and a tanker hit her from behind, killing them on the spot. Similarly, in 2017, a motorcyclist was run over by a tanker,” said Nesapakkam Kudiyiruppor Podhunala Sangam president Virugai A Pattabiraman.
“After the death of the youngster, the public seized the lorry. Later, the police warned the drivers against speeding and asked them to come via Arcot Road to reach the treatment plant at Nesapakkam. However, they continue to come through the interior streets of Nesapakkam,” he said.
Pattabirman also complained that the sewage tankers operate from 4 am. They don’t have proper trip sheets and most of the time, the cleaners drive the vehicle. “Every five minutes you can see a vehicle passing and it poses a threat to school students, those visiting the hospital and temple on Pillaiyar Koil Street,” he said.
The residents have requested the police to specify a schedule for the tankers to reach the treatment plant. “Also, the civic body should take steps to widen the roads at Nesapakkam by removing the encroachments,” they said.