Recently, the Chennai Traffic Police (CTP) placed barricades on the pavement near the Race Course bus stop, towards Five Furlong Road. The move is aimed at preventing auto drivers and cab drivers from parking their vehicles along the pavement, looking for passengers.
However, what this measure has proved counter-effective. Due to the barricades, pedestrians proceeding towards Guindy railway station and Thiru Vi Ka Industrial Estate are forced to walk in middle of the road or through the bus bay. Though the stretch is a ‘no-parking’ zone, drivers park their vehicles there as well as the exit point of the bus bay, making it difficult for bus drivers to exit it.
“Auto and cab drivers halt at the pedestrian-crossing, making it difficult for the pedestrians to cross the stretch,” says S. Ravi, a commuter. On the opposite side, the bus stop is encroached upon by auto drivers and used as a parking lot. Commuters are forced to stand in the carriageway or take shelter at commercial establishments.
A Chennai Traffic Police official says, “We have been towing away vehicles that are parked illegally near the pavement. Despite this, the problem persists. Soon, a police personnel will be deployed on the stretch.”
