MADURAI
In the beginning of this year, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while hearing a PIL petition, had directed the civic and police authorities to “take steps to effectively regulate the traffic on the four-way junction at Suguna Stores on the Anna Nagar 80 Feet Road” and ensure that vehicle flow was smooth.
However, according to motorists and residents, there has not been any “great” relief so far. In reality, things had gone from bad to worse with rise in vehicle population.
Be it peak hour or non-peak hour, working day or weekend, vehicle movement near Suguna Stores intersection has not been a smooth affair at all. Absence of policemen in the vicinity and poor enforcement give abundant courage to the violators.
There are a little over 12 types of vehicles in the city, traffic police say. From slow moving cycles and tri-cycles to scary share-autos and mini buses and high-speed two-wheelers, these vehicles criss-cross the Anna Nagar 80 Feet Road almost throughout the day. The peak time is considered to be from 7 a. m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.
One of the oldest colonies in the city’s western side is caught in a quagmire as residents of Anna Nagar, Sathamangalam, Melamadai, Managiri, VOC Nagar, Tahsildar Nagar, Yagappa Nagar and Gomathipuram have to use the 80 Feet Road to go to Apollo Hospital side, Goripalayam, Kamarajar Salai, KK Nagar or Maatuthavani MGR bus stand. Hence, this road is a major connecting point.
Anna Nagar came into the city’s fold during the World Tamil Conference held in the 1980s. To accommodate the delegates, the then government led by late M.G. Ramachandran directed the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) to build houses along the Anna Nagar Main Road. After the event was over, the TNHB sold the units to individuals in the mid-80s on bidding and issued them the sale deed.
After nearly two to three decades, the stretch began to transform, when individual residents, one after the other, sold their dwellings on the Main Road for fancy prices. Not knowing that the Anna Nagar they lived would look worse (read chaotic) now, V. S. Shantaram, who was brought up here since childhood in one of the MIG units, expressed concern over the mess today. “We are also responsible in a way,” he quipped.
Over the last 10 to 15 years, many MIG and HIG units had been demolished and commercial buildings had come up. Today, 75 per cent of the original houses have gone and they have been replaced by new and high rise buildings. The quiet and non-polluted area is now busy and a highly polluted zone.
Every building, constructed in the last 10 to 15 years, had violation in one way or the other, an officer in the Town and Country Planning department admitted. The carpet area in each building plan does not have space for parking of vehicles and other mandatory specifications. As a result, the roads have been encroached, which has led to shrinking of carriage space.
Alarming though, many builders had shown (on the building plan) the area as free space, but allegedly let out the space in basement to outlets and eateries/juice shops. A restaurant near the Suguna Stores junction was functioning in a dangerous situation that the LPG refills were kept close to the diesel gen sets.
The residents want the civic authorities to seal those buildings that had violated the norms. Second, the Anna Nagar 80 Feet Road should be restored to its original space and encroachments evicted. Third, the residents want the builders to give provision for parking of vehicles in their own space and not use the road. Fourth, the police should examine the possibility of introducing one-way traffic system and parking zones should be clearly demarcated. Like the TNSTC, which has bus stops, the share autos and mini-buses should be instructed to stop only at specified points.
A month back, a team comprising city traffic police and Corporation officials inspected the stretch along with Highways engineers to examine modalities to decongest and regulate traffic, said Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan.
An Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) ruled out one-way traffic on the 80 Feet Road, but said that vehicles parked in ‘No Parking’ area would be towed away and fines imposed. Mohan, who runs a bakery near Ambika Theatre junction, said that pavements, if kept free from encroachment, would be used by pedestrians on both sides. He also suggested parking on alternative sides of the roads on odd/even days as in cities like Bengaluru.