Susan Mathew, Vice-Chairperson, CMDA
More importance is being accorded now at the planning level to the initiatives aimed at easing traffic congestion in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The CMA requires construction of grade separators at 50 locations. An 18-month-long study called the Chennai Comprehensive Transport Study has been completed. This would assist in evolving a clear action plan for improving the road and rail infrastructure within the CMA. Some of the investment proposals are the construction of pedestrian subways in 80 locations and inter-modal exchanges at 13 locations, including one at Saidapet.
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S.P. Sekar, Head of the Department of Planning, Anna University
A flyover will be successful only if it is followed by a stretch which facilitates free flow of traffic. Otherwise, the problem will only get shifted from one junction to the next. Since road capacity to traffic volume ratios have exceeded limits on many major roads, the only long-term solution is a shift from private vehicle ownership to mass transit options. Since the Metro Rail is also simultaneously coming up on Anna Salai, detailed redevelopment plans must be worked out. Convergence of traffic is going to be high within a 500-m radius from each Metro station.
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M. Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic)
The traffic on Anna Salai is increasing day by day and we have been taking necessary steps to ease the flow of vehicles. A total of 60 traffic police personnel are deployed from Wallajah Road junction to Kathipara during rush hour. Apart from this, installation of a Centralised Traffic Control System at 20 signals on the Anna Salai stretch, Kamarajar Salai and Wallajah Road is under way. These signals can be controlled on the basis of traffic flow patterns that can be monitored using CCTV footage from camera installed at junctions.
