Two wires dangling at a traffic signal near West Tambaram bus terminus on Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road pose a threat to the safety of pedestrians.
Many pedestrians cross GST Road at this signal to reach West Tambaram market, East Tambaram and Tambaram railway station, as the next pedestrian-crossing is a little distance away
Pedestrians also avoid using the subway, connecting eastern and western side of GST Road, as it is occupied by a large number of hawkers.
“The eastern side of the subway, maintained by State Highways Department, has become a market zone.
Even at the entrance and exit areas, hawkers sell vegetables, fruits and various other stuff,” says A. Vinod, a resident of East Tambaram.
In a hurry to cross the arterial stretch, pedestrians run helter-skelter, without noticing the sagging wires.
The post holding the traffic signal is located in the centre of a median. Some pedestrians — the tall ones — standing on the median find the wires level with their necks.
Pedestrians have requested the Chennai Traffic Police to increase the pedestrian signal duration from 9 seconds to 45 seconds. In most localities, across the city, the duration has come down to 9 seconds. In some, it is down to seven seconds.
The traffic police personnel have assured to do the needful.
