CHENNAI: Ongoing drainage work and the absence of zebra crossing have put pedestrians reaching the bus stops near Kamatchi Hospital on the busy Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road at risk. Many are forced to take risks by crossing the arterial road to board buses; otherwise, they must walk several hundred meters to find a crossing point. Commuters are calling for the swift completion of drainage work and the installation of a pedestrian crossing to alleviate these difficulties.
S Sathish Kumar, a resident of Thoraipakkam who regularly boards the bus at the Kamatchi Nagar bus stop, explained that the Water Resources Department (WRD) has been carrying out drainage work for a long time near Kamatchi Hospital.
"Due to ongoing drainage work at the junction of the Kamatchi hospital along the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road, the pedestrian crossing was closed, with no other option left. People from all age groups cross the road in a risky manner by navigating through the small gap to reach the other side of the road and the bus stop to board the bus," said a regular woman commuter, who waits at the Kamatchi Hospital bus stop.
Ravi Shankar, a person who waits for the bus at the Kamatchi Hospital- Tambaram Route stop, alleged, "There is no way the pedestrians can reach the opposite side, so youngsters jump over the median, and others manoeuvre through the small gap. Who is responsible if any accidents happen?"
Traffic police personnel at the locality said, "The works have been under way for over two weeks. Also, there is a small way for pedestrians to cross the road." A highway department official pointed out, "The Water Resource Department is constructing the drain work in linking to Pallikarani Marsh." Multiple attempts to reach WRD department officials for comment were unsuccessful.