The absence of a median on a stretch of Purasawalkam High Road is acutely felt. On this section of the Road, speeding jump onto the opposite side, often causing accidents. Every day, hundreds of vehicles, including MTC buses from Kellys, Ayanavaram, Perambur, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Villivakkam, Kolathur, Kilpauk, Aminjikarai and Anna Nagar use the stretch it to reach the main city via Egmore and Vepery.
The 60-ft-Road has been reduced to half its size due to a median from the Kellys traffic signal to Abirami Mall and the broad space left for the footpath at extreme end of the Road. With the available space, motorists negotiate their way.
However, except for this 500 metres-long median, the remaining five kilometre stretch up to Doveton does not have a median. And much of the road space here is often eaten up by parked vehicles. The lack of a median gives motorists, especially motorcyclists, a chance to jump to the opposite lane putting pedestrians and other motorists at risk.
Pedestrians have no option but to walk on the main road as the footpath is encroached upon by hawkers andshops on the stretch.
“During the festive season, the stretch had a good number of policemen to regulate traffic and prevent crime including chain snatching. Now, the stretch has been left unmanned, with no one to check the speeding vehicles,” said S. Kamala, a resident of Kilpauk.
According to the police, installation of CCTVs cameras at important points of the stretch including near Madhar Shah textile shop is not a temporary measure for the festival season but a permanent one. Images from these cameras would be monitored by the police at booths located along the stretch. Though the police are present at a few congested spots on the stretch, the rest of the Road remains unmanned.
“The cameras help us detect traffic violators and crime offenders, especially during rush hour and weekends. With limited manpower, we are managing to regulate traffic and check violators on the stretch,” said a police officer.
