Over the last two decades, Poonamallee has morphed from a sleepy town with sandy stretches into a busy urban centre. New landmarks now dot the neighbourhood. Single-screen cinemas have been converted into multiplexes. Old houses have given way to multi-storey apartment complexes and shopping malls.
Amidst this sea of change, the Mount– Poonamallee Main Road —between Chennai Bypass and Mangadu junction — stretches unchanged.
Most parts of this key road continue to be narrow and are unable to take the huge volume of vehicles. Mount-Poonamallee Main Road has to be widened, especially the section near the Poonamallee bus terminus. This section accounts for two kilometres of the road.
As the road is considerably narrow near the terminus, MTC bus drivers find it difficult to enter and exit the facility.
“Unauthorised parking of autorickshaws on both sides further reduces the width of the stretch,” says S. Manickam, a motorist from Poonamallee.
Mount-Poonamallee Main Road, a 60-feet-wide and 11-kilometres-long stretch, is maintained by the State Highways Department.
As it is a key road in the region, it is baffling that it has not been provided with basic amenities, which include footpath, median, pedestrians-crossings, speed-breakers, traffic signals and reflectors.
Moreover, sandy craters are found on the stretch. Both sides of the highway have been encroached upon by hawkers and shops.
According to police officials, on an average, two accidents, mainly involving motorcyclists and pedestrians, are reported every fortnight.
“Steps will be taken to widen the stretch and introduce all safety features,” says a State Highways official.