Chennai: Motorists taking the intersection of Adambakkam and Vanuvampet flyover have expressed their concern about the barricades installed there to divide the two-way traffic.
They said, “The separation was put up following the extension work of Mass Rapid Transit System between Velachery and St Thomas Mount. The department has completed the works at the portion six months ago, but the barricades are yet to be replaced with a concrete median.”
It has been 23 years since the completion of phase-1 of MRTS. The proposed phase-2 of the system plays a significant role in reducing traffic in the Southern sector of the inner ring road.
Rajasekar, a resident of Madipakkam says, “The MRTS construction work is going on a very slow phase. These barricades prevent any untoward incidents from happening. If the barricade is removed, the intersection would get congested with traffic.”
On the other hand, office goers and commuters complain of this barricade being a hurdle. The stretch between Vanuvampet and Adambakkam is packed with vehicles during peak hours.
“Motorists tend to break through the barricade to reach their destination faster. Consequently, this leads to accidents or traffic jam. The barricade also hinders the path of ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Instead of crossing the intersection, emergency vehicles have to take a detour of more than a km amid all the traffic and then take a U-turn at the intersection of Thillai Ganga Nagar and Inner Ring Road,” says Praveen Kumar, a college student.
A few residents feel the barricade put up here is also not in good condition. Elaborating it they said, “It is just a line of steel rods placed in between the road. They pose a major threat to those who travel by road after sunset. Pedestrians walking from Vanuvampet are also forced to walk until 45th Street of Thillai Ganga Nagar to reach the other side of the Inner Ring Road. If concrete medians are installed with provision for people to cross, the detour could have been avoided. The road also connects Velachery and Thillai Ganga Nagar on the east and west side. This adds even more traffic to the already congested intersection between Vanumpet and Adambakkam.”
Residents want authorities to end the never-ending traffic issues in the southern sector of inner ring road by coming up with a proper solution.
Article by Sureka Rajasekar