The city’s first bicycle track, which runs through P.T. Rajan Salai, Lakshmanswamy Salai, and Ramaswamy Salai in K.K. Nagar, is said to be all set for inauguration. The nagging question is: Will the encroachments be gone by then? From the intersection of P.T. Rajan Salai and Jawaharlal Nehru Main Road, the 3.8 km-long cycle track has been encroached upon, by eateries. “Vehicles are parked on the track. Neither the Corporation nor the K.K. Nagar police has taken action against unauthorised parking,” says V. Suresh, a resident of K.K. Nagar. K.K. Nagar and Anna Nagar were considered for the cycle track project as both the neighbourhoods have wide roads and many educational institutions. However, due to as Metro Rail work having a huge impact on Anna Nagar, the Corporation chose K.K. Nagar to execute the project. The concrete boulders that were constructed to prevent motorists from entering the cycle track are damaged or displaced at many points along the stretch. Interestingly, a month ago, police personnel belonging to the Law and Order wing of the K.K. Police slapped a fine on many motorcyclists for parking their two-wheelers on the track. Sadly, over a hundred vehicles seized by the K.K. police station were found dumped on the new track on P.T. Rajan Salai due to lack of space on the the premises of the police station, which is located in a rented building. The police have to ensure the safety of those seized vehicles as they are booked for various legal violations and are considered the property of the court. Residents however say ensuring safe-keeping of the vehicles cannot be an excuse for dumping them on the bicycle track. As the cases relating to these vehicles are still pending we need a nod from our senior police officials to shift them, say police sources.

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