Chennai: The median along busy Venkatnarayana Road in T Nagar has turned into a bus stop for commuters, defeating the purpose for which it was constructed to prevent crisscrossing of vehicles and jaywalking by pedestrians. Commuters now wait on the median, with no shelter, to board MTC buses plying on the route even as vehicles zip past.
MTC buses, already infamous for not stopping at the designated spot, have now taken this practice to a new level by halting on the right side of Venkatnarayana Road, after it was made a one-way stretch due to the ongoing metro rail work. This is despite a proper bus stop with a shelter on the left side. "After the road was made one-way, MTC buses always plied on the right side of the road, so we have no other option but to wait on the median," said Padmanaban, a senior citizen from Kodambakkam, who comes to T Nagar to visit a temple.
Senior citizens, school students and women are forced to squeeze themselves on the one-and-a-half-foot-wide median, irrespective of whether it rains or shines, until the bus they are waiting for arrives. Motorists cautiously pass, trying not to make way for those who cross the road to climb the median.
While most of Venkatnarayana Road is already encroached upon by hawkers of all types, the pavements have become parking lots for temples, offices, and shops, leaving less space for vehicles to manoeuvre. Greater Chennai Corporation and the traffic police periodically remove the encroachments, but they return to where they were within a week. Even fining vehicles that violate rules has not helped. MTC bus crew also cite the lack of space to negotiate the bus to the stop. MTC managing director Alby John, when contacted, said he would look into the issue and give the necessary instructions to the crew.