Noise, dust pollution and excessive speeding by vehicles have made life miserable for residents and passersby at Perungalathur, the southern gateway to the city. Those who have to cross this part of the city to reach places such as Vandalur, Guduvancherry and beyond are in for long delays as vehicles crowd the carriageway, leaving very little space.
Vehicles on this stretch can only inch ahead, at best.
K. Shiva, who runs a shop in Perungalathur, said that until recently, omnibus drivers would park their vehicles on the carriageway for hours together. This would slow down the movement of other vehicles heading south from Tambaram. The situation worsens particularly on weekends with vehicles piling up from Irumbuliyur bridge. It takes them nearly an hour to cross Perungalathur, he said.
Another resident, K. Rajasekar from Irumbuliyur, said he preferred a two-wheeler over a car to get to Vandalur. “With the motorcycle, I can easily manoeuvre through the traffic. In a car, it takes much longer,” he said.
Traffic police personnel admitted that omnibuses parking on the carriageway was a regular phenomenon until some months ago. Now, omnibuses have been ordered into the parking area inside the bus shelter. In the next lane, south-bound buses are allowed, they said
However, despite regulations, residents continue to face traffic jams during weekends, police officials said. This was mainly due to an increase in the number of long-distance private buses. A senior police officer noted that the State government had proposed to create a bus terminus at Perungalathur some time ago. If that materialises, the area would become decongested, he said.