Erratic driving by motorists, especially motorcyclists, on the service lanes of the Duraiswamy subway in T. Nagar is causing traffic snarls at the point where the service lanes of the subway and the Mambalam High Road meet. The subway is located on Mambalam High Road. According to motorists, not deploying a policeman on a permanent basis is contributing to the traffic problem. As per norms, service lanes are meant for vehicles coming from the road where the facility (subway or flyover) is located. Motorcyclists using these service lanes enter the subway, causing confusion. “During school hours, motorcyclists using the service lanes enter the subway which results in traffic chaos on Mambalam High Road. This happens in spite of steel barricades having been placed to prevent such trespassing. Many a time, ambulances get struck in the traffic snarls,” says G. Raghavan, a resident of T. Nagar.
Built in the 1960s, the two-lane subway connecting Mambalam and T. Nagar, was widened last year by the civic body from 2.2 metres to 5.6 metres to allow vehicles from both directions. The subway connects the textile hub of the city — consisting of T. Nagar and Pondy Bazaar — with the rest of the city. Every day, on an average, around two lakh vehicles pass through the subway. To prevent flooding, the floor height of the subway was raised during the renovation carried out last year.
Despite the facelift, the Duraiswamy subway struggles with its old problems including traffic chaos mainly caused by motorcyclists using the service lanes. Parents from the neighbourhood drop their children at a school located on the service lane of the subway, and find it convenient to take the subway from the service lanes. Other motorists from the neighbourhood too skip the Mambalam High Road to take the subway. They use the service lane and take a ‘U’ turn to get into the subway which results in traffic snarls at the intersection.
Such violations are prevented at other comparable spots in the city, including the Kodambakkam flyover, which was also renovated last year. A small police booth with permanent policemen was deployed near the flyover to prevent vehicles from the service lane from taking a ‘U’ turn to climb the flyover. Motorists want similar arrangements to be made at least during rush hour for the smooth flow of traffic at Duraiswamy subway. “We will take necessary steps including deployment of policemen during rush hour to regulate the traffic flow near the subway,” said a police officer.
