Traffic knot at junction in Santhome

With work on underground tunneling underway near Marina, educational institutions on Santhome have a new challenge

The toe-end of Santhome High Road resembles a cheese cube bitten off by a mouse. In the best of times, this section of Santhome High Road which meets Karneeswarar Koil Street and Kamarajar Salai had been constricted and often during rush hour, motorists would squeeze through it. With Metro Rail work taking a significant bite out of it, the section now holds up traffic for considerable time leading to frayed tempers.

Motorists on this section have been suffering during rush hour since the first week of March, when it was made one-way on account of Metro Rail work. Pedestrians now have little space they can call their own.

In many places where Metro Rail work is under way, a barricaded pathway exists for pedestrians. On this section, that option is out of the question. During school hours, one can spot students struggling to find a toehold while trying to walk to their school. This section of Santhome High Road has Santhome Higher Secondary School, Rosary Matriculation School, Don Bosco and CSI School of Autism.

Besides, traffic violations abound at this junction.

The work straddles a part of Santhome High Road and a part of Karneeswarar Koil Street as well, with the result that the latter has been made one-way too. Despite the no-entry rule, motorists plough into Karneeswarar Koil Street, making the wait for other motorists at the junction longer.

There are also cases of motorists from Kamarajar Salai cutting corners by entering Santhome High Road instead taking the planned course via Marina Loop Road.

Ever since the changes were clamped at the junction, traffic regulation is largely carried out by Metro Rail marshals. Now with the junction rife with violations, and motorists do often paying little heed to marshals’ directions, greater presence of traffic police personnel should be ensured out here.