Sat Oct 04 16:23:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The city of Chennai, India, is struggling to provide adequate and safe spaces for road skating enthusiasts despite being a hub for the sport and producing national and international medalists. The Greater Chennai Corporation is attempting to address this by allocating a section of the MRTS road between Perungudi and Velachery stations for skating and cycling for a few hours daily. However, consistent access to dedicated spaces remains a challenge, with skaters often facing displacement due to complaints from motorists and lack of police enforcement. The Tamil Nadu Roller Skating Association has been requesting dedicated stretches of road for practice, but without consistent success. The lack of proper infrastructure is forcing skaters to travel to other cities like Chandigarh and Bengaluru for training, and is even impacting Chennai’s ability to host major skating events. While private skating facilities exist, their cost and distance make them inaccessible for many. Coaches and enthusiasts are urging the government to prioritize road skating and create affordable, safe, and dedicated spaces to maintain the city’s momentum in the sport.
**News Article:**
**Chennai Skaters Struggle to Find Road Space Despite City’s Skating Prowess**
**Chennai, October 4, 2025** – Despite being a powerhouse for roller skating in India, Chennai is facing a critical shortage of dedicated and safe spaces for road skating, hindering the training of aspiring athletes and impacting the city’s ability to host major competitions.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has recently announced a plan to allocate a portion of the MRTS road between Perungudi and Velachery stations for skating and cycling during specific hours. However, skating enthusiasts and coaches say that consistent access to safe areas remains a major obstacle.
“Sports needs regular practice and a dedicated place that is accessible and affordable to all,” said R. Pratap Kumar, president of the Tamil Nadu Roller Skating Association, highlighting the difficulty in securing permission for stretches of road for regular training.
The lack of designated areas often leads to skaters practicing in residential neighborhoods, resulting in complaints and displacement. Manpower shortages within the police department to regulate road usage also contribute to the problem.
The absence of suitable infrastructure has forced skaters to travel to other cities like Chandigarh and Bengaluru to train, and has even affected Chennai’s ability to host major skating events.
“In December, Chennai will be hosting the 63rd National Roller Skating Championship but we have only taken six disciplines. As we do not have the infrastructure for ‘road’ and ‘rink’ category, these events will be held in Bengaluru,” Kumar confirmed.
While private skating facilities exist in Medavakkam and Gerugambakkam, their cost and distance make them inaccessible to many skaters. Coaches and enthusiasts are urging the state government to prioritize road skating and establish affordable and dedicated spaces to maintain Chennai’s position as a leading skating hub.
“There are at least eight events in the road category in skating including 100 mt, marathon, lap race, so we need affordable and safe space,” stated a senior skating coach, emphasizing the need for immediate action to support the sport’s growth in Chennai.
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