Hawkers rule Aminjikarai-Koyambedu stretch; nightmare for pedestrians
Chennai: The 3.7-km stretch between Aminjikarai and Koyambedu, one of the city's busiest roads, has become a nightmare for pedestrians. Though
Greater Chennai Corporation
has designated separate vending and non-vending zones across the city, more than 700 hawkers have taken over the pavements, making it nearly impossible for pedestrians to walk safely.
This stretch has eight bus stops and witnesses several hundred bus trips daily. It is extremely crowded, especially during peak hours, putting commuters at risk.
Aravind Srinivasan, a 30-year-old resident of Anna Nagar, said, "I use public transport every day to get to work, but walking to the bus stops is a challenge. The pavements are either damaged or taken over by stalls. I'm forced to walk on the road, dodging speeding vehicles, including buses that don't use indicators.
There's no safe space for pedestrians," he said.
The congestion gets worse in the evening. Rajesh Kumar M, a shopkeeper in Aminjikarai, said that after 6pm, traffic becomes chaotic. Two-wheeler riders often violate rules by using pavements to bypass traffic jams. While traffic police try to control the situation, many riders escape, he added.
According to GCC data, 338 vending and non-vending zones have been identified in the city.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone has the most non-vending zones (45), while Royapuram zone has the highest number of vending zones (26). This initiative is based on the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which mandates cities to create clear vending plans. The final plan was shaped through multiple consultations and surveys between Sept 2024 and March 2025.
R Madhan Kumar, a street vendor, said, "The new vending zones allocated near Perambur and Vyasarpadi are far from our current shops.
The spot is not feasible to set up shops and sell. We earn very little from our handcart shops. Until a proper vending zone is allotted, we won't leave this spot," he said.
T Geetha of Arumbakkam said, "a few vendors use animals to pull heavily loaded carts in peak traffic. This is not legal. GCC must ensure that violators are fined and measures should be taken to stop animal pulling in the city." When asked for response, GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said, "Despite allocating vending and non-vending zones, many vendors have not relocated. A drive will soon be launched to move vendors from non-vending to vending zones.
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