Traffic chaos on Tiruvottiyur High Road: Parking at Maharani Theatre bus stop leaves no room for commuters to wait, buses to halt

CHENNAI: Commuters in Old Washermenpet have raised concerns about parking at the Maharani Theatre bus stop on Tiruvottiyur High Road, near Sri Theagaraya College Metro.

For the past few months, two-wheelers and auto have been parked directly in front of the bus stop, creating inconvenience and safety risks for passengers.

This is a two-way road, with vehicles moving continuously on both sides. Due to vehicles being parked near the bus stop, buses are unable to halt at the designated stop and forced to stop a few metres away. This has made it difficult for passengers, especially senior citizens, women, and school students, to get on and off buses safely.

Ram, a regular commuter who travels via the Egmore bus stop said, “Customers of the nearby biryani and fast-food outlets often park their vehicles at the bus stop. This affects traffic movement, and makes it difficult for passengers to board buses. Drivers are also forced to stop buses a little away from the stop, causing further inconvenience.”

Concurring with him was a resident, Praveen, who piped in: “Workers in nearby shops and also those visiting Thyagaraya College Metro, park their two-wheelers here, which is why there is a large number of bikes in this area. When buses halt at the designated stops, motorists at the back are forced to halt as well, as there’s no space to manoeuvre. So, there’s perennial traffic chaos in the entire area during the evening hours.”

Traffic police officials told DT Next that they would conduct inspections and take necessary action to ensure smooth traffic flow. “Vehicles violating parking rules will be fined and removed through regular patrol measures,” an official stated.