The arterial roads of the city witnessed chock-a-block traffic even as most buses of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation stayed off the roads in view of transport staff continuing their strike.
Though commuters who could use train services as an alternative did so, residents who could not had to resort to using their two-wheelers and cars.
The vehicles had to wade through arterial stretches rendered narrow due to Metro Rail work, especially on Anna Salai.
S. Kumar, an employee at a private firm, said, “It took nearly one-and-a- half hours to reach Anna Statue from Adambakkam since the traffic was moving bumper-to-bumper. Though the buses were off the streets, a large number of two-wheelers and cars occupied space on the roads. For instance, Anna Salai was choked with traffic and the same road was narrower as Metro Rail work blocked free traffic movement.”
Traffic was blocked on Anna Salai near Hotel ITC Grand Chola, Little Mount, Todhunter Nagar, Saidapet, CIT Nagar, T. Nagar, Pasumpon Muthuramalingar statue, Teynampet and Greams Road.
The blocks here had a cascading effect on the other arterial roads such Uthamar Gandhi Road, Sterling Road, College Road and G.N. Road. The gathering of transport staff in front of the Labour Commissioner’s office added to commuters’ woes.
D. Thirugnanasambandam, a motorist from Porur, said, “Now most of the buses are off the roads. Then why was traffic moving at snail’s pace? It took me more than one-and-a-half hours to reach T. Nagar from Porur.”
A senior police officer said, “ In the normal course, 60 passengers would travel in a bus. Now all of them are taking either bikes or cars and the population of vehicles on the road has increased manifold. We are trying our best to ease traffic blocks to ensure the free flow of vehicles.”
