CHENNAI: Pedestrians, including patients, senior citizens, and attendants visiting Stanley Hospital and Medical College in Old Washermenpet, continue to face difficulties while crossing the busy Jail Road due to heavy traffic and alleged signal violations by motorists.
Despite the presence of a traffic signal, motorists can be seen running a red light at high speeds, putting pedestrians at risk.
According to the public, senior citizens, disabled persons, students, and patients are among those most affected. Many are forced to wait for long periods by the roadside, waiting for the speeding vehicles to zip through, before finding a safe time to cross.
The road remains congested throughout the day, with a steady flow of buses, autos, cars, and two-wheelers. The situation becomes particularly challenging during peak morning and evening hours.
Although a foot-over-bridge connects Stanley Hospital and Medical College with the Institute of Social Paediatrics, one of the lifts at the latter is currently out of service due to maintenance work. As a result, elderly patients and those with mobility issues often choose to cross the road directly, as they are unable to climb the steep stairs.
A hospital employee stated, “Autos are parked near the hospital entrance all the time. This has persisted for more than a year, and is one of the major causes of congestion. Motorists too ignore traffic rules, posing a threat to pedestrians.”
Concurring with him was a resident medical officer who piped in: “The lift has been temporarily closed for repair work but the FOB is accessible through the staircase. It’s widely used by students, nurses, and doctors during the day, while access is restricted after 4 pm for security reasons.”