Residents seek action to utilise space meant for shops under the Palakkarai overbridge

A section of residents has urged the Tiruchi Corporation to streamline unregulated roadside vendors and make use of the platform shops constructed beneath the Palakkarai overbridge.

In 2024, the Corporation constructed platform shops in the space under the Bheema Nagar arm of the flyover to regulate street vendors and ease congestion in the locality. Around 50 shops, covering nearly 330 feet under the bridge, were developed at a cost of ₹25 lakh exclusively for vegetable and fruit vendors.

Despite the initiative, the facility remains largely unutilised. Residents say the space, once misused as a dumping yard, is now used more as an informal two-wheeler parking area.

According to residents, several roadside vendors continue to encroach pavements and carriageways near Heber Road and surrounding stretches, obstructing traffic and posing safety risks. The area experiences heavy vehicle movement, particularly during peak hours, worsening the situation.

“Even though the infrastructure is available, most vendors continue to occupy the roadside, making the stretch narrow and unsafe. If the Corporation enforces proper regulation and allots these shops, it will benefit both the public and traders,” said S. Jeevakumar, a resident.

Sanitation concerns have been raised with roadside shops reportedly dumping waste in open spaces, attracting stray animals, and creating potential public health hazards.

A senior Corporation official said the issue would be reviewed and steps would be taken to relocate street vendors from Heber Road to the designated stalls under the bridge to improve traffic flow and ensure better utilisation of existing infrastructure.