Another spot of concern

Crossing the stretch from Old Collectorate to Rajiv Gandhi signal at peak hours has become difficult

The stretch from the Old Collectorate to Rajiv Gandhi signal on Kamaraj Salai here has become another spot of concern for the traffic managers.

The relatively narrow stretch has emerged as a choke point in the town, with vehicles flowing into and out of the road to Kokku Park just before the Rajiv Gandhi signal.

Crossing the stretch at morning and evening hours has become extremely difficult as vehicles proceed to and from Kamaraj Salai toward Kokku Park, blocking the traffic towards the signal and towards Raja Theatre and elsewhere. Last Saturday, evening commuters had to wait for a long while crossing the signal as the entire stretch was chock-a-block.

Some days, the movement of vehicles is so heavy that the traffic police are compelled to block the road from Kamaraj Salai to Kokku Park, forcing vehicle-users to reach the signal and then turn right to reach Kokku Park and East Coast Road.

“It was chaotic. I had to wait for at least 15 minutes to cross the signal as the traffic was bumper to bumper on Kamaraj Salai. Obviously, the snarl must have had an impact on other roads leading to the Rajiv Gandhi Square,” said R. Deivasigamani, a resident of Lawspet.

The problem turns acute when law enforcers are absent at the Kokku Park signal and on Kamaraj Salai at peak hours on weekdays. “It will be chaotic in the absence of policemen on weekdays. The flow gets disturbed, leading to a long line of vehicles,” he said.

According to a traffic policeman, most of the days the road connecting Kamaraj Salai and Kokku Park will be made one way and at weekends, the movement of vehicles will be stopped. All vehicles will have to reach the Rajiv Gandhi signal for entering Kamaraj Salai or East Coast Road.