Ever since the construction of a flyover at the CMBT junction in Koyambedu began, the MMDA junction on Jawaharlal Nehru Main Road is witnessing traffic pile-ups.
Though a traffic signal is in place at the MMDA junction, motorists pay little attention to it.
Therefore, pedestrians crossing the MMDA junction have sought the deployment of traffic police personnel on this section.
At present, during rush hour, on week days, a lone traffic policeman regulates traffic at the junction.
Commuters complain that traffic police is found regulating traffic there only on a few days in a week, and during weekends, motorists and pedestrians have to cross the junction at their own risk.
Commuters also pointed out that a team of traffic police personnel is deployed round-the-clock at the SAF Village Games ‘T’ junction (located next to the MMDA junction), which is not as congested.
“After crossing the SAF junction, motorists tend to speed, as Jawaharlal Nehru Main Road becomes wider and is less-congested; motorists don’t bother to slow down or halt at the MMDA intersection. Pedestrians often have to run to cross the junction and reach the other side of the road,” says 67-year-old S. Veluswamy, a resident of Choolaimedu.
The MMDA route is a shortest route for motorists coming from Vadapalani junction to reach Poonamallee High (PH) Road bypassing the chaotic Koyambedu junction.
Further, motorists who want to reach Poonamallee High Road at NSK Nagar junction take a right turn at MMDA junction. It’s surprising that such a key intersection lacks round-the-clock deployment of traffic police, say commuters.
“Traffic at the MMDA junction will be streamlined at the earliest,” say police sources.
