Trichy: Though Trichy has improved a lot in solid waste management by infusing technologies, providing new amenities and beautifying the city neighbourhoods, it seems that often the authorities have failed in providing basic amenities in certain sectors, especially in ensuring the safety of pedestrians on its roads. While the general public is encouraged to pursue non-motorised transport (NMT) towards a healthy lifestyle and to reduce pollution, the reality is that at many places there are no pavements for pedestrians to walk on and they are forced to walk on the roads since the platforms are either damaged or encroached.It may be noticed that the priority given to improving pedestrian infrastructure was minimal in the previous budgets of Trichy City Corporation since 2016. In the past four years, the highest amount spent was Rs 2.42 crore during the financial year 2015-2016. Since then, the fund allocation on maintaining and building new pedestrian platforms has sharply come down. Further, a majority of the amount sanctioned for the purpose was spent for constructing stormwater drains. But not all the newly-constructed drains are covered with slabs.Similarly, the city corporation has not built pedestrian platforms beyond 1.95 km in the last three years. The proposals for new platforms are highly disproportionate to address the requirements of the city.“Trichy’s pedestrian platforms should be periodically inspected by the corporation officials to identify the damages. Workers should be deputed to maintain the platforms well to ensure that it is used by pedestrians,” G V Karthik, a resident of Woraiyur said.Thennur High Road, dotted with at least 20 hospitals and clinics, witness high pedestrian movement, but the pedestrian slabs on the narrow road are either damaged or encroached. Similarly, the Royals Road near the Central bus stand has the city’s worst pedestrian platforms. “The authorities should sanction funds for the maintenance of the pedestrian platforms,” Allirani Balaji, a city-based social worker said.Though the civic body is keen on beautifying the city and constructing parks and open gyms, the demand for basic amenities such as pedestrian platforms and quality roads remain unaddressed. However, corporation commissioner N Ravichandran said that adequate measures would be taken to maintain the pedestrian platforms.

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