CHENNAI: Traffic congestion on GST Road, opposite Tambaram railway station, continues to trouble motorists and commuters, despite the construction of a subway and skywalk to ease the situation.
The commuters say that the government and private buses often halt on the GST Road to pick up and drop off passengers, which is the main reason behind the never-ending traffic congestion.
Tambaram is one of the busiest transit hubs in the suburbs of Chennai. Earlier, thousands of commuters crossing the GST Road to access the railway station and bus stand were seen as the main cause of traffic snarls.
To address this, authorities constructed a pedestrian subway connecting the railway station and the market area. Later, an elevated skywalk linking the bus stand, railway station and GST Road was built with escalators for public convenience. Barricades were also installed to prevent pedestrians from crossing the road directly.
Despite these measures, traffic congestion has not reduced. In fact, motorists say the situation has worsened over the past few years, especially during morning and evening peak hours.
Vehicles are often seen lined up for nearly two kilometres up to the Sanatorium. Passengers travelling from Chromepet and nearby areas to catch long-distance trains at Tambaram railway station complain of frequent delays, with some even missing trains due to traffic hold-ups. Office-goers returning to suburban areas from Chennai city also face long waiting times to cross Tambaram.
According to residents, one of the major reasons for the continued congestion is the buses stopping directly on GST Road near the railway station instead of entering the designated bus bays inside the station premises. Government and private buses heading towards Kilambakkam and Chengalpattu are often seen halting on the main road to pick up and drop passengers, blocking traffic behind them.
Additionally, vehicles attempting to enter the railway station premises from GST Road are hindered by roadside encroachments, parked autos and pushcarts near the entrance, further narrowing the passage and slowing movement.
Narayanan, a regular commuter from Tambaram, said that stricter enforcement is needed to prevent buses from stopping on the GST Road and to clear encroachments around the station entrance, so that people can travel without much hassle.
Traffic police officials admitted that congestion in Tambaram is a longstanding issue and said much of the problem is due to buses stopping on the main road. They said a shortage of police personnel is a challenge, and said additional deployment has been sought.