The new traffic arrangement announced by the police on Mount Poonamallee Road a fortnight ago has not gone down well with the residents of Mugalivakkam and Manapakkam.
Sources with the traffic police said the decision was made after consultation with other departments such as Tangedco, Highways and Chennai, which are carrying out various infra projects on this arterial road which connects Kancheepuram, Vellore and beyond with Chennai city.
Due to the new traffic arrangement, light vehicles and two wheelers not intended to touch Porur junction have been diverted to Manapakkam Main Road, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, MG Road, Mettu Colony Main Road. These roads get congested during peak hours as the roads were not relaid after storm water drain work, residents’ welfare association activists point out.
V. Nagarajan, a resident of Manapakkam, said, “They should consider the plight of the residents on Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam. The Chennai Metrowater is carrying out Integrated Storm Water Drain work along Manapakkam-Gerugambakkam Road. When our roads are being damaged so badly for pipe-laying work, diverting vehicular traffic from Mount Poonamallee Road put lots of hardship to the residents.”
Apart from creating several traffic bottlenecks on smaller roads, the vehicles often fell into the dug-up portions.
Without the presence of traffic policemen on Manapakkam Main Road, it is not easy for vehicles from interior roads to reach the main road, he said.
Agreeing with residents and motorists, a senior police official said the traffic can be regulated if shopkeepers do not put their hoardings on these battered roads/streets. “Though we remove them, they occupy the roads once again within a short time,” he said.
He also said that each department wanted to complete its projects on time and we have to regularise traffic. A study of traffic and road condition on Manapakkam Main Road and Mugalivakkam Main Road will be conducted, he said.
Presently, projects of road widening, a flyover construction at Porur and power cable laying work are going on at Mount Poonamallee Road, officials say.
