Pedestrian pathways turn into parking lots

PEDESTRIAN safety is in peril as illegal parking and rampant encroachments continue to strangle some of Coimbatore's busiest roads and sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk on the carriageway amidst fast-moving traffic.

- ARAVIND RAJ @ Coimbatore

Areas like DB Road, Cross Cut Road, and several commercial stretches across the city have become increasingly difficult for pedestrians to navigate due to two-wheelers parked on footpaths and shopkeepers extending their stalls onto pedestrian pathways. Citizens say the lack of stringent enforcement and hefty fines by the police despite repeated complaints and visible violations has emboldened the violators.

"Every time I walk down Cross Cut Road, I'm either stepping over a bike or dodging a mannequin placed on the footpath by a shop. It is unsafe and frustrating," said S Janaki, a resident of Ram Nagar.