Clock Tower junction at Muthialpet turns into traffic hotspot

During peak hours and weekends, crossing the junction becomes an arduous task

The narrow stretch from Karuvadikuppam to Mahatma Gandhi Road, high traffic density and a steady stream of pedestrians have turned the Clock Tower at Muthialpet into a traffic hot spot.

Coupled with the ever-increasing flow of tourist vehicles into the town and the mushrooming of new outlets in and around Muthialpet, the Clock Tower is posing a challenge to traffic managers. 

The biggest problem in managing traffic is the narrow Karuvadikuppam Road, leading to the Clock Tower.

During peak hours and weekends, crossing the junction becomes an arduous task due to the absence of an automatic signal and adequate police personnel in the area. Travelling at night is also problematic due to a lack of streetlights, especially in the area between Sivaji Statue and Ginger Hotel.

“Sometimes, a bottleneck near the Clock Tower will disrupt traffic on the entire stretch, till Atithi Hotel. The problem becomes more acute on auspicious days, as residents throng temples and auditoriums. Commuters taking the Karuvadikuppam Road will have to bear the brunt, as the narrow stretch will be jam-packed,” said G. Karthikeyan, a resident of Lawspet Main Road.

“Traffic bottlenecks have become routine these days,” said Dominic, who resides near Clock Tower. “The opening of educational institutions and the lack of manpower to manage the flow of vehicles are creating hurdles for commuters,” he said. “A one-way system and the setting up of an automatic signal could mitigate the issue to a certain degree. We need to do a proper study before introducing any traffic plan in the area,” he added.

According to a police officer, a study conducted in 2017 found heavy movement of vehicles on the stretch during weekends. “We conducted a study on March 3 and 4. In 24 hours, we counted around 37,300 vehicles reaching Atithi junction from Muthialpet area. A majority of them were two-wheelers,” he said. Tourist arrivals had definitely increased in the last four to five years, he added.