The junction connecting Tirupparankundram Road with a relatively narrow road leading to Alagappan Nagar, which is located very close to arailway gate, has always been witness to traffic congestion, particularly with vehicles getting queued up for long when the railway gate is closed.
Residents, business enterprises and motorists, however, complain that the situation has worsened considerably over the past few weeks with the inauguration of a popular brand’s multi-storey shopping centre right opposite the junction.
“Earlier, there was heavy congestion during peak hours on week days. Now, evenings during weekends have become even worse with vehicles getting slowed down even up to the round-about in Palanganatham junction,” said an employee of a furniture showroom near the junction.
V. P. Manikandan, a motorist using the road daily, pointed out that the congestion was earlier caused only because of traffic movement to and from Alagappan Nagar.
“Now, a considerably high number of vehicles coming in and out of the shopping centre also adds to the traffic,” he said.
“I am seeing even ambulances getting stuck in the traffic during peak hours now,” he added.
N. Sankar, another motorist, said that though few barricades have been put up as median on the road in front of the shopping centre, they were not sufficient to regulate traffic and ensure lane discipline at the spot.
“Vehicles going in Tirupparankundram direction are taking a right turn at different spots on the road using the space available between these barricades to enter the shopping centre. Instead, the police can ask them to go straight for a while and take a u-turn to enter the shopping centre,” he said.
“Moreover, the exit point for vehicles at the shopping centre is closer to the junction, because of which the junction is becoming more chaotic,” he added.
To add to the woes, Mr. Manikandan highlighted, many share autos were stopping in front of the shopping centre in a haphazard manner to drop and pick up passengers.
“Adequate number of police personnel should be deployed at the junction to regulate traffic, particularly the share autos,” he said.
He pointed out that the situation would worsen further during rainy season since the subway in TVS Nagar would get inundated and more traffic would be diverted through Alagappan Nagar.
A traffic Sub-Inspector deployed at the junction said that it would not be easy to relieve congestion in the area soon.
“It is not possible to install a traffic signal at the junction. The road is also not wide enough to set up traffic islands to regulate traffic,” he said.