On some Chennai roads, garbage bins “dig into” a piece of the carriageway

ere At night, certain roads within Greater Chennai Corporation limits let out eyeshine like a rabbit caught by the blinding headlights of a moving vehicle.

The “eyeshine” on these roads is engineered by the beams of headlights bouncing off a pair of bins. In Egmore and Chintradripet, they show up with the unfailing regularity of monthly payment reminders from service providers. 

Garbage bins grouted into the carriageway on Anna Salai in front of Simpson bus stand. 
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

The paired bins are found in front of bus stops, park entrances, petty shops, and probably elsewhere too. They are not shrinking violets hiding themselves in a corner of the road, but put themselves on the frontlines choosing a patch on the carriageway. They are grouted into the carriageway. In some bus stands, they do not come across as intrusive. In others, they do. In the latter, one wonders if they would not be in the way of commuters embarking on and disembarking from a bus ride.

Garbage bins grouted into the carriageway outside a petty shop in Chintradripet.
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

Their place near a shop is appreciable: the owner of this petty shop in Chintradripet notes they are being utilised well by shoppers. From that shop, as the crow flies, is found another grouted pair of bins on the carriageway outside the May Day Park. This one sticks out and motorists are likely to find them underfoot. 

Garbage bins grouted into the carriageway outside May Day park in Chintradripet.
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

An action with good intention written all over it, when misplaced is worse than one that is clearly ill-advised. Because the former is less likely to be questioned. The intention here is good: getting road users including commuters at bus stops to deposit waste in bins. But is the carriageway the right place for the bins?