CHENNAI: Steel handrails meant to prevent pedestrians from straying onto the carriageway have come in handy for business establishments which encroach pavements and turn them into ‘private’ spaces.Every day, thousands of pedestrians risk their lives on busy stretches of Anna Salai and Jawaharlal Nehru Road where the highways department had installed handrails a month ago. A visit by TOI found that the stretches where handrails have been fixed have lost a chunk of pavement space to shops and vehicle showrooms. For instance, the 1km stretch between Nandanam Signal and CIT Nagar Third Main Road junction signal on Anna Salai has six car and two-wheeler showrooms who have cordoned off pavement space. The showroom managements have parked vehicles on the footpaths blocking pedestrian movement.The pavement near the CIT Nagar Third Main Road junction signal has been laid as per specifications of Indian Road Congress and measure 103 inches, but parked vehicles take up 70% of the area leaving just 33 inches for walkers. Another showroom near the Nandanam signal has been a bit generous leaving 40 inches for pedestrians. The rest of the footpath serves as its private parking lot.The handrail-laid stretch between Olympia signal junction and Ekkatuthangal metro station on Jawaharlal Nehru Road is no better. Shops and roadside vendors have taken over the space. A tender coconut seller has stocked up his wares on the footpath and covered it with a tarpaulin.Sameer, a job aspirant from Villupuram, said people are pushed onto the roads and handrails benefit squatters, not pedestrians. “There is no other option but to walk on the road amid a reckless traffic,” he said.Urban transport experts said railings on footpaths should be avoided as they obstruct access to footpaths. Aswathy Dilip, senior programme manager at Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, said railings may be provided near schools and junctions to guide pedestrians.But a highways department official said the handrails were installed to ensure that pedestrians do not stray into the carriageway, especially while chatting or while on the phone, and to prevent motorists from usurping the pavements. “That was the reason why crucial stretches were identified and handrails were installed. But shops are encroaching the footpaths. A coordinated effort from police is required to act against the violators,” the official said.A senior city traffic police officer said only the carriageway comes under their control. “Pavements are in the ambit of respective local bodies and highways department. Though evicting encroachments is their responsibility, we are ready to provide security for the purpose,” he said.

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