CHENNAI: Severe traffic congestion brought vehicular movement to a halt on the Chennai–Trichy National Highway near Singaperumal Koil from Saturday evening until Sunday morning, leaving thousands of motorists stranded and causing major delays for travellers heading to southern districts.
The worst-affected stretch was the nearly three-kilometre section between Singaperumal Koil and Keelakaranai, where vehicles reportedly moved at a snail’s pace. Motorists said it took close to an hour to cover the short distance as traffic remained bumper-to-bumper through the night.
The gridlock was attributed to a combination of factors, including the weekend holiday, an auspicious day for family functions and weddings, and temple festivals in several southern districts. Large numbers of residents from Chennai and its suburbs travelled to their hometowns, leading to a surge in traffic on the highway.
The operation of additional government buses and private omni buses from transport hubs such as Kilambakkam, Koyambedu and Madhavaram further added to the congestion. Commuters alleged that many buses stopped along the roadway near Singaperumal Koil to pick up and drop passengers, obstructing traffic flow and worsening the situation.
Motorists pin-pointed that vehicles parked alongside the road during the night, effectively reducing road space and creating bottlenecks. Encroachments by roadside vendors, along with parked lorries, private buses and auto-rickshaws, were cited as additional reasons for the traffic build-up.
The extended congestion affected passengers travelling to attend early-morning wedding events and other functions, while ambulances were struck in this heavy traffic.
Residents and commuters have urged authorities to deploy additional traffic police personnel on weekends and during festival periods to regulate traffic on the Chennai–Trichy highway. They also called for stricter action against illegal parking, roadside encroachments and the practice of omni buses halting on the carriageway to board passengers.