Chennai
It is half past nine on Tuesday morning. A steady stream of buses, share autos and buses, apart from private vehicles, zip past the unmanned signal on Venkatanarayana Road in T Nagar. Overtaking and going around the roundabout at the junction, the dangerous speed game that commuters engage in, is a scary scenario for drivers or riders who are careful, pointed out Venkatesh N, a resident of T Nagar who takes the route every day to reach his office in Ambattur.
“This has been the scenario for a while now. Even on Sundays, you can see the signal not functioning. Without a traffic constable on the spot, everyone is in a race to move ahead,” he said.
Pointing out that the road links the T Nagar bus stand to other parts of the area, Venkatesh said, “Commuters also crossover to Thanikachalam Road or to Boag Road, taking the link route through Melony Road, through this stretch. At any point in time, there is a regular traffic of share autos and buses. The drivers of these vehicles feel it is their birthright to speed ahead of the rest.”
Commuters also pointed out that the Thanikachalam Road and Melony Road have bottlenecks during peak hours. “Now when there is no signal operating on the other side, the traffic spills across the road and there is a heavy vehicular pileup,” said another commuter.
Arun Kumar, another frequent commuter, said that the junction, even when the signal works, is a centre of chaos. “The duration of the signal is almost one and a half minutes. Everyone loses patience by the time it turns green, as they have to wait for at least two minutes.”
However, sources from Mambalam Traffic Police said that issues with the traffic signal have been sorted out. “The signal was probably not switched on because the police force was diverted to a protest that was being held in the city,” said Ramesh, a traffic inspector.
If you notice any civic issues unattended by authorities, please write to us with a photograph at citizen.dtnext@dt.co.in
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android