Chetpet residents on Thursday expressed concerns about the increasing number of residential houses in their neighbourhood being illegally rented out for commercial purposes. In a meeting chaired by Dr N Ezhilan, Thousand Lights constituency MLA, members from Harrington Road Residents Association said houses in the area were rented out as hotels, cafes, and parlours. "We now have more cars coming in, more garbage, more sewage, and more electricity disruption. The buildings charge a commercial rent. None of the buildings are of commercial nature," Suhasini Fredrick of the association told the MLA. Members showed CMDA maps to prove how houses categorised as "residential" were operating as commercial. The new commercial units are letting out more sewage than residential. "This has led to backflow of sewage into houses," she said. There are many schools located on Harrington Road, and traffic is heavy during peak hours. Commercial establishments don't have parking spaces. "Pavements are encroached by their staff, and there is no space for walking. The encroachments extended up to the road, making traffic jams worse," said Sabina Narayanan, another resident. More than 20 residents participated in the meeting. MLA Ezhilan assured residents that he would escalate the issue to GCC and CMDA. "I met five residents' welfare associations so far in the constituency. The issues are being followed up and resolved quickly. 

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