Citizen Connect: Burning waste on Chennai Bypass reduces visibility for motorists

The service road, particularly Puthagaram Road junction, have become easy picks to dump garbage, construction debris and other hazardous waste. The Puzhal-Surapet service road stretch is an example of how excellent infrastructure could be misused by private parties and irresponsible residents.

According to S Anandan, who drops his son on his motorcycle at a CBSE school nearby, during a drive on the nearly 5-km service road from Puzhal to Surapet, one would witness non-stop burning of garbage at various spots. He said that the garbage dumped in the open poses a great risk for motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.

“Often, the garbage would be set on fire and thick smoke covers the road leading to low visibility for the motorist. Sometimes the smoke will be so thick that one cannot see the vehicles coming in the opposite direction,” he said.

With the neighbourhoods of Kolathur, Surapet and Puzhal witnessing a flurry of construction activities, many of the builders are dumping the construction debris along the service road. “The debris is being dumping during the night time. The police should patrol the service road after nightfall and stop the illegal dumping on the road margins,” V Madhu, a resident of Puthagaram, said.

An official of Greater Chennai Corporation said that even if they remove the garbage dumped on the sides of the service road, people continue to dirty the road. “We are strictly adhering to court rulings against the burning of garbage. But it is miscreants and rag-pickers who set garbage on fire,” the official said, adding that the landowners here should fence their property to prevent illegal dumping.