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ENTRY BARRED: No passage leads to this VHS on the IT Corridor. Photo: R Krishnamurthy

        Voluntary Health Service on IT Corridor in Chennai has a problem - no passage for vehicles to the health centre, let alone ambulances. It had a pedestrian path though and that has been barred. But automobiles to the VHS have to take a right 'U' turn at the south to gain access to the main gate of the hospital.

        VHS staff had a formal discussion over this on 17 April. Hospital authorities said there was a passage but it has been closed for no valid reason. This makes the visitors to the hospital take a long ride upto Tidel Park and take a 'U' turn to gain access to the hospital, some members of the public told this reporter.

        During times of emergency, time is precious, every second counts, by the time the 'U' turn is taken anything can happen. To use the 'U' turn one has to travel two km, and by that time, the risk factor is bound to increase.

        Medical superintendent Dr S Janaki also expressed her anguish over not providing a straight entry to the hospital. She requested the authorities (TNRDC, highways and traffic police) concerned to make provision for the same to help the patients in distress and the service centre to facilitate cater healthy service to society.

        When ambulances are let to pass red signals and given priority among all vehicles, there is no smooth passage for them to the VHS, a patient's relative said. The highways authorities, it is believed are to acquire land for road-laying and it is up to Tamilnadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC) to proceed with the road works.

        When chief project officer of TNRDC M M Khan was contacted on this, he said it was the duty of the traffic police to look into such matters.

        Assistant commissioner traffic enforcement, Adyar, Krishnan, when contacted, said TNRDC was working on it but it had not been handed over to the traffic police.

        There are a line of institutions such as Dr M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Women's Polytechnic, Central Polytechnic, I T Software Company, Tidel Park, MGR Film City etc till Madhya Kailash on the northern end of the IT Corridor. Only after completion and handing over of the structure to the traffic police wing by the TNRDC proper access to these establishments could be made, traffic police say.