People dashing or jaywalking across the Grand Southern Trunk Road near the vehicular traffic signal in Vandalur is a common sight. It is point where the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road connects to GST Road.
The absence of a pedestrian signal encourages this behaviour. And it is that time of the year when the possibility of accidents at this spot, proximate to Vandalur zoo, due to such reckless pedestrian behaviour is at its height. With schools and college shutting down for summer holidays, Vandalur Zoo will draw considerably more than its usual number of visitors. “The chances of people getting knocked down by vehicles from behind are very high. Similarly, to avoid hitting the pedestrians, the vehicles swerve to the left rashly and pedestrians crossing the junction from GST Road to Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road are the worst-affected,” says M. Soundarya, a college-student. A few people cross near the gates of the Zoo, dodging the vehicles that take a right turn from the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road to GST Road. There is constant movement of vehicular traffic, especially buses and heavy vehicles.
