Haphazard parking, free movement of vehicles on “no entry” stretches, encroachment of pedestrian walk are ubiquitous on the “one-way” stretch of West Masi Street which is often choked by vehicular traffic.
A fully-commercial stretch, West Masi Street is craving for better discipline among road users and stricter enforcement by police for free vehicular movement. For, it is not just the city residents who are put to inconvenience every day, but also tourists and pilgrims from outside the city and State, coming to Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.
The nearly-one km stretch of road is dotted with textile shops, electronic goods showrooms, hardware shops and a couple of shrines.
Though the police have allowed parking on the right side of the one-way traffic flow (from south to north) with separate slots for two-wheelers and four-wheelers, it is more followed in breach. While lorries and other cargo vehicles and load men fully occupy the road between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the period when lorries are allowed into the city, smaller cargo vehicles and tricycles are omni present here.
The tricycles are mostly seen parked along two-wheelers, thus shrinking the carriage way. These vehicles always go against the flow of traffic. Many a time, long pipes and huge parcels protrude from these vehicles, says C. Visukumar, who frequents this street.
Autorickshaws join these violators to cruise through the “no entry” stretches, especially from West Tower towards West Masi Street and then again entry into the “no entry”stretch of Town Hall road. “This lead to traffic congestion,” he adds.
Two-wheeler riders also violate the one-way rule throughout the day. And in the evening, cars make their contribution by parking at different spots till the passengers finish shopping.
In this melee, the pedestrians are the worst hit as the platforms are either uneven or fully encroached upon by shopkeepers.
With the festival season round the corner, this road would attract thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles even from neighbouring districts. Soon it will be a tough task for the city police and road users as well.