Due to the absence of street lights, reflectors, signboards and speed-breakers, the narrow T junction on Porur-Kundrathur Main Road (SH-113) in Gerugambakkam is posing a threat to the safety of road users. This road comes under the purview of the State Highways Department.
A year ago, the road was widened; since then it has become unsafe, say residents. This road is considered a lifeline for residents of Kovur, Gerugambakkam, Mogalivakkam, Mangadu, Poonamallee, Kattupakkam, Iyyapanthangal, Somangalam, Kundrathur, Chembarabakkam and Porur, as it helps them reach many other parts of the city.
Besides, residents of many villages including Kollachery, Arambedu, Erumaiyur, Gerugambakkam, Kavanoor, Kolambakkam, Poothandalam and Vaipoor rely on this road to reach Koyambedu wholesale market via Porur. For city travellers, the stretch offers a shorter route to reach the Bangalore Highway (NH:04) via Kundrathur, avoiding the congested Poonamallee High (P.H) Road. Though this is such an important road, it lacks safety features.
“Motorists from the Gerugambakkam Main Road cannot be seen from a distance on the Porur - Kundrathur Main Road due to level at which the carriageway is found. Besides, rash driving is common on these two stretches,” says V. Shanmugam, a resident of Gerugambakkam.
Executed by the State Highways Department, the widening work converted the two-lane stretch into a four lane on select sections in February, 2019. The sections were selected on the basis of how much space was available.
The sections are as follows: between the four-cross junction in Kundrathur and Kovur; and between Kovur and Gerugambakkam.
Each of these sections is around two kilometres long.
Further, as part of the widening work, which began in February last year, encroachments, mainly shops, are being cleared between Kundrathur and Kovur without affecting the flow of traffic along the narrow route. Expanded stormwater drains are also being built along the stretch.
Further, culverts on accident-prone spots between Kundrathur and Gerugambakkam (near Kovur bus terminus) are also being built by the State Highways Department. The culverts are aimed at preventing flooding in neighbourhoods like Kundrathur, Porur, Valasaravakkam and Ramapuram from Chembarambakkam lake.
However, motorists say that lack of safety measures at the Gerugambakkam intersection is putting motorists at risk for accidents, especially during night, as they are unable to see pedestrians and other motorists clearly before proceeding further.
“Steps will be taken to provide essential safety features at the intersection without much delay,” says a State Highways official.