Motorists negotiating the SRP Tools intersection on Rajiv Gandhi Salai are complaining that the service lanes on two sides of the road have been blocked causing hindrance to free movement of traffic.
Recently, construction work of a short kerb wall began on the eastern side of the road preventing motorists from using the service lane. “The road is usually packed with traffic and the service lane is an option that many motorists, including buses, take to prevent getting caught in the traffic at the signal near Tidel Park. The service lane at SRP Tools has now been blocked and if authorities do not want people to use the lane, it can be merged with the carriageway,” said B. Narayanan, a motorist.
Sources in Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC), which manages the road, said that the police had asked them to block the service lane since motorists were driving on the wrong side to reach Lattice Bridge to reach Thiruvanmiyur.
After the lane was blocked, motorists have been using the carriageway and police presence is hardly seen on Rajiv Gandhi Salai, except for a few junctions during the morning rush hour.
“It is just 2 kilometres from Tidel Park junction to Thiruvanmiyur, but it takes at least 20 minutes to cover this distance any time of the day. The bridge is wide enough and designed to accommodate two-way traffic and we should be allowed to use the service road,” said S. Krishnan of Kandanchavady.
Service lanes on several stretches of Rajiv Gandhi Salai have been closed. TNRDC sources said they had kept them closed on suggestion from traffic police. The stretch from SRP Tools junction to NIFT and the stretch at Karapakkam remain closed. In many places the pavements are run down and have vegetation growing on them.
On certain stretches the service lanes are so narrow and cannot be used, residents said.
