Pedestrians in Urapakkam are finding it difficult to cross the G.S.T. Road, especially at portions that have been widened into eight lanes. Residents said that junctions like Sankara School and the bus stop located just after the Vandalur witnessed many accidents, including fatal ones.
M. Tamilselvan, a long-time resident of Nandivaram, said thousands of railway commuters used the Urapakkam junction since the station was close by. “Vehicles that used to come slowly from the Vandalur side are now speeding after the flyover was opened. They do not wait for pedestrians to cross the road and people find it difficult to cross four lanes at a time to reach the centre of the road,” he said.
S. Kesavan of Kilambakkam, which is a part of Urapakkam panchayat, said of late the number of accidents had gone up.
“Last month, a local electrician, a very helpful person in the community, lost his hand in an accident while trying to cross the road. We are trying to get his family some financial assistance. Since this is a national highway and as we are outside city limits, there is hardly any policing here though areas like Adanur, Karanai Kattur, Iyancheri and Urapakkam are thickly populated,” he said. Residents have urged that traffic signals be installed at junctions that do not have them and made functional wherever they existed, rumble strip be laid to slow down the vehicles and more policemen be present on the road.
Official sources in Chengalpattu police district said that installing traffic signals alone was not a solution to the issue. “We need other rectification measures like blinkers and more road signages. We are planning to close unnecessary openings from the service lanes to the main carriageway and have better traffic regulations at these junctions. We have identified the locations and work will be carried out soon,” the official said.