The Hindu : Accident-prone Koyambedu turns a zone of concern

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Accident-prone Koyambedu turns a zone of concern

By S.Shivakumar

CHENNAI NOV. 27. The Koyambedu area has begun to feel the pressure of a spurt in heavy vehicle movement, with a rash of road deaths that point to poor infrastructure and bad implementation of rules.

Three persons have died in accidents in the area since the opening of the CMBT, but ironically, the cause is attributed to bad road conditions and not just a rise in traffic.

After the bus terminus became operational, not a single day has passed without a road accident being reported, police records reveal.

Strangely, the AIADMK Government had conducted inspections of the roads around the Koyambedu market months ago, but maintained "status quo" around two of Asia's "largest" facilities - the market and the then upcoming bus terminus. Apparently though part of the city police network, the City Police also did not pursue this vital safety issue with the CMDA and the Government.

Today, two persons were killed in a road accident. A 15-year-old boy, Sivalingam, travelling in a vegetable van, died and two other occupants including a woman were seriously injured when they fell from the van after being hit from behind by a speeding lorry at the Koyambedu `B' market road.

The van driver applied sudden brake to avoid a huge crater on the road. The driver of the lorry coming from behind lost control and hit the van and then came to a stop after killing a fish cart rider, Velu (38).

The injured van occupants--Shenbagavalli and another Velu-- have been admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in a serious condition.

Traders and operators of vans and lorries reveal that several minor accidents occur everyday but were not brought to police notice. The drivers strike a deal to avoid police harassment and detention of goods and vehicles.

The drivers say there was sufficient lighting in the area but only the roads were in poor condition. One of those who fell victim to the Government's failure on infrastructure was a two-wheeler rider, Govindasamy (58), a real estate entrepreneur of Kannadasan Nagar in Kodungaiyur, who was fatally knocked down from behind by a speeding van at the Maduravoyal-Koyambedu junction on Tuesday night. His pillion rider was injured.

Motorists allege that the Highways department has been dragging its feet in clearing encroachments along the arterial EVR Salai. The four-km stretch between the Irumbuliyur-Maduravoyal bypass and Koyambedu is filled with trenches and encroachments. The Highways authorities had to suspend their recent eviction operation for 10 days following a protest by the well-entrenched traders.

Koyambedu now is a source of worry: it is potentially a highly accident- prone zone, but does not have a protocol to rush victims to the nearest hospitals, such as those in Vadapalani. The real estate businessman died on way to the GH, and this has led to questions about why he was not admitted to the private hospital along the same road, just 4 km away.

It is also a moot point whether Asia's biggest bus stand is prepared to handle accidents, heart attacks and other medical crises with a fleet of well-maintained ambulances and protocols.

The traffic investigation wing of police is also a neglected lot: at present, it is learnt that three teams, each comprising an effective strength of three personnel, work round-the-clock. The strength of each team should at least be doubled, traffic police personnel point out.

Encroachments are also likely to increase, given the present trends. Already, those enjoying connections with the powers-that-be are earmarking certain areas on the road for putting up kiosks.

Without political will, Koyambedu could end up as Asia's biggest mess, caution the police.

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