Motorists frequenting Rajaji Road have requested the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to reconstruct a damaged speed breaker on the stretch and relay the section of the carriageway near the speed bump.
The speed breaker is located near the exit point of the Chennai Harbour Flyover and the carriageway used by motorists heading in the direction of Chennai Beach Railway Station.
Besides, the motorists have requested that the height of the speed-breaker be reduced when it is being reconstructed. On account of its height and slope, it is posing a challenge to two-wheeler users, they say. Sometimes, even four-wheeler users are seen struggling while negotiating it. Rajaji Road comes under the jurisdiction and maintenance of Zone 5 of GCC.
To avoid the damaged area on the speed breaker, some motorists swerve to the left or right suddenly, putting those behind them in a spot of trouble.
On Tuesday night, this writer witnessed a motorist swerving left there, and coming close to ramming his two-wheeler into a stationary Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus. Luckily for him, he slammed on the brakes in time.
“The vertical deflection device is laid at a such a height that even heavy vehicles are not spared the thuds,” says A. Raja, a bus driver and a resident of George Town, said.
An official of the Zone 5 of the GCC, said, "I will take up this issue with the assistant engineer and take steps to have the damaged area relaid at the earliest."
Out on a limb at Frazer Bridge Road
Due to the lack of speed breakers on Frazer Bridge Road in George Town, Pedestrians are noticeably out on a limb.
Motorists, coming from Esplanade Road, George Town, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission Road, Park Town, and NSC Bose Road drive at a clip, jumping lanes and this road behaviour compromises the safety of pedestrians, says V. Nithya, a long-time resident of Mannady.
“Crossing the intersection of Frazer Bridge Road and Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission Road is an ordeal as vehicles come from all directions at a good speed. It often gets chaotic when pedestrians signal to the motorists to stop and try to cross the stretch. On seeing the pedestrians doing this, some motorists jump lanes and zoom past,” says M. Rafiq.
A Zone 5 official has promised to look into this issue and do the needful.