Chennai: The civic body, with the help of the police, removed encroachments on the pavement on Pillaiyar Koil Street, Jafferkhanpet, 27 June. Most of the shops had occupied the pavement, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.
Roadside vendors like flower-sellers, those dealing with second-hand motorcycles and petty shops had occupied the pedestrian path on both sides of the road.
“I set right punctured bike tyres and on a daily basis, I get 4-5 customers. I earn around Rs 400. My entire family is dependent on my earnings. Who will feed them now?” asks Raja, whose shop on the pavement was removed.
“They have cleared the encroachments without prior notice and they didn’t even give us time to take out our things,” said Vinoth, a shop-owner in the locality. But commuters welcomed the move as the road has been widened for free flow of traffic.