With cable-laying work between Thirumullaivoyal and Ambattur on Chennai–Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road (towards Ambattur) progressing at a tardy pace, the stretch is congested during most hours of the day. The section where this work is under way accounts for 500 metres of this stretch and it takes motorists an hour to cross it.
Maintained by the State Highways Department, CTH Road has been widened only on a few sections, between Padi and Thirunindravur, mainly due to difficulty in acquiring land for widening work.
The ongoing cable-laying work is taking place on a section where widening work is pending. The stretch between Thirumullaivoyal and Ambattur is around 30 feet wide as against its original width of 60 feet.
“Notwithstanding the narrowness of the stretch, the work has been taken up during day time, which has resulted in traffic congestion. Poor traffic planning is the reason for causing this problem,” says K. Satish, a motorist from Thirumullaivoyal.
Motorists point out the work should be done at night. In localities within Chennai Corporation limits, road works, including re-laying of stretches, are executed at night.
If this basic precautionary measure had been taken, traffic congestion at Thirumullaivoyal junction would have been prevented. This junction is extremely busy as well as narrow, and therefore the waiting time is considerable.
Despite the various problems plaguing this junction, there is only one traffic police constable regulating traffic there.
Now, to steer clear of the traffic snarls, many motorists, mainly motorcyclists, take the lanes running parallel to CTH Road. This is the best bet for them to reach Ambattur at Rakkie theatre, from Thirumullaivoyal.
As a result, there is disruption in what were earlier quiet neighbourhoods.
“The work will be fast-tracked to ensure it is completed by the end of this month,” says a State Highways Official.
