Commute on OMR has been tough after Metro work began: motorists

Chennai Metro Rail's Phase II Project causes traffic chaos on OMR, with pedestrians and motorists facing challenges.

Until work on Chennai Metro Rail’s Phase II Project began, Rajiv Gandhi Salai (popularly known as Old Mahabalipuram Road or OMR) had quite a smooth riding surface, six lanes, and service roads on either side, being used by nearly 2.5 lakh vehicles daily. But now, navigating the road from the SRP Tools junction to Navalur is a difficult task for many, especially during peak hours, say motorists.

S.S. Pandian of Siruseri said he avoided taking OMR as much as possible. “The road has been heavily damaged owing to the works. Repairs have not been taken up properly. If I have to reach East Coast Road, I take an internal road, avoid Padur and Kelambakkam, and reach the connecting road. Instead of going to Egmore to catch trains, we go to Tambaram,” he said.

Though traffic moves without snarls thanks to U-turns introduced at various junctions, such as Thoraipakkam and Sholinganallur, the lack of space at certain portions of the road is a problem. Vijayakumar, a school van driver, said he had to drive fast in some places to make up for lost time. “I got delayed even last month due to early morning Metro work. In the evenings, the buses of a private college and our vehicles vie for space. They are huge vehicles and can crowd us off the lane. So, we wait till they pass,” he said.

Pedestrians are the worst hit in all this, since footpaths have just vanished along the road and multiple agencies have dug up the service lanes at many locations. The inter-locking bricks are uneven and manhole covers are broken.

Suresh Subramaniam of Thoraipakkam said crossing the road or walking to nearby shops had become dangerous for over a year. “It is estimated that over 2 lakh vehicles use Rajiv Gandhi Salai daily, which means we need more policing and safer spaces for pedestrians. The service lanes are in bad shape, and when vehicles use them, it is even more difficult. Sometimes, I wait for over three minutes to cross the road,” he said.

Meanwhile, widening of a 2.5-km stretch of the Phase 2 of Rajiv Gandhi Salai from Siruseri SIPCOT to the junction at Padur into a six-lane facility has just begun. 

Karthik, who runs a plant nursery in the area, said he had to move his nursery further inside because of the work. “I was lucky that I had space to move. A lot of buildings on this side of the road, including shops, compound walls of apartment complexes, wedding halls, and schools, have been demolished over the past year,” he said.