Pongal return rush triggers traffic chaos on outskirts

Severe traffic congestion was reported across several suburban areas of Chennai on Sunday as lakhs of people returned to the city following the conclusion of the Pongal festival holidays.
Ahead of Pongal, a large number of Chennai residents had travelled to their native places using special buses and trains operated by the government, while many others opted for private vehicles. With the holiday season coming to an end, the return journey gathered pace, leading to a sharp increase in vehicular movement towards Chennai.
From Sunday afternoon onwards, a steady inflow of cars, vans and other vehicles was witnessed. Heavy congestion developed at the Ulundurpet toll plaza, where vehicles were seen waiting in long queues stretching for several kilometres. To ease the situation, toll plaza authorities opened two additional counters, while traffic police were deployed to regulate traffic and clear bottlenecks.
Traffic snarls were also reported along the GST Road as people from neighbouring districts returned in large numbers using private vehicles, government buses and private buses. Areas such as Vandalur, Perungalathur, Tambaram and Chromepet witnessed severe congestion, with vehicles lined up over long stretches.
The heavy volume of traffic resulted in long delays and slow-moving vehicles at several key entry points into Chennai. Traffic police continued to monitor the situation and regulate vehicle flow to restore normalcy.