Pavements on either side of Wall Tax Road have been encroached upon by hawkers and cycle-rickshaws, leaving no space for pedestrians.
Moreover, the subway on the stretch has failed to serve any purpose, as the public find it more convenient to cross the road.
“The sidewalk abutting the entrance of central station has turned into an open urinal. During monsoon, the situation gets worse as the filth gets stagnated on the road, putting the pedestrians and motorists to severe hardship,” said Roy Rozario, a suburban passenger.
“The subway is hardly used by the public. It has turned into a shelter for anti-social elements and hawkers. Authorities concerned must take steps to remove the subway, which causes congestion on the stretch during peak hours,” he said.
A senior official of the state highways department said, “The encroachments were removed earlier. Yet, the hawkers keep coming back. Despite the presence of a public toilet in the vicinity, people pollute the pavements at night.”
“We have discussed the issue of encroachment with the police officials. Soon steps will be taken to provide an alternate place for the cycle-rickshaw men to park their vehicles,” the official said.
“The pedestrians are supposed to use the subway to get to the other side of the road. They are not allowed to cross the road. There is no question of demolishing the subway on the stretch,” said the official.