Chaotic traffic triggers call for underpass at Sanjeevi Nagar intersection on Chennai Bypass Road

TIRUCHI Heavy traffic congestion at Sanjeevi Nagar intersection on Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass Road, es

Heavy traffic congestion at Sanjeevi Nagar intersection on Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass Road, especially after closure of the Cauvery river bridge in the city for maintenance works, has revived calls for construction of an underpass at the junction to facilitate smooth cross-over of vehicles. The intersection has been witnessing heavy traffic congestion as a large number of vehicles, including buses and other heavy vehicles entering the city, take a U-turn here to go via Odathurai Road. The situation has turned worse after the recent closure of the Cauvery bridge for maintenance and diversion of vehicles through the bypass road. With the number of vehicles taking the U-turn to take the service road leading to Odathurai Road increasing manifold at the junction, traffic snarls has become frequent, hindering traffic on the Chennai-Tiruchi-Madurai highway. Many drive down the wrong side on the service lane to avoid taking a long detour to join the Bypass Road. This adds to the chaotic traffic as vehicles criss-cross the junction, road safety activists say. The city police had already identified the junction as an accident-prone blackspot last year and initiated remedial measures towards preventing accidents. A section of residents feels that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the elected representatives should give a push for constructing an underpass at the intersection. “A plan was mooted some years ago for construction of a vehicular underpass at the junction. It’s time the NHAI took up the proposal, in the wake of rising traffic volume and in the interest of city development,” said Suresh Venkatachalam, president, Srirangam Nagara Nala Sangam. P. Ayyarappan, president, Road Users Welfare Association, said the police should prevent parking of vehicles on the roadsides close to the junction. Traffic constables should be posted in adequate numbers. NHAI sources said efforts have been made on to get detailed project reports drawn up based on a technical analysis to suggest ways to “eliminate the blackspots” at Sanjeevi Nagar, Kollidam Y Road and G.Corner junctions on the bypass road. All three junctions have been identified as blackspots by police based on accident data although they have not been included in the list of blackspots of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Activists also contend that NHAI road safety audits are also due on the national highways around the city. The NHAI should conduct the audits at the earliest so as to improve road safety on the Chennai-Tiruchi-Madurai and other highways, they said.