Traffic on Sterling Road now seems better managed. It is the result of barricades placed near the signal by the traffic police to create separate lanes for heavy vehicles, cars, bikes and autos coming in from Nungambakkam High Road and Valluvarkottam High Road.
The signal is one of the busiest in the city. Vehicles from Nungambakkam, Kilapuk, Chetpet, Choolaimedu and Sterling Road cross it.
Even though traffic police personnel man the signal, vehicular movement is seldom smooth here.
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The traffic police hope barricades will set things right. “There is a constant flow of traffic here. The bikes zig-zag on the stretch. Bus drivers overspeed. We have received numerous complaints. These temporary barricades have been placed on a trial basis. Seeing how successful the initiative is, we will either scrap or continue with it,” said D. Sambasivam, assistant commissioner, Traffic Police.
According to him, the response so far has been quite encouraging, especially from MTC drivers.
The left-most lane is meant for buses and heavy vehicles. As the bus stands are on the left side, it is quite convenient for the drivers. The middle lane is for cars and other four wheelers. The last lane is for bikes and autos.
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The section of Sterling Road, near College Road, however, has no such alterations. barricades have been placed at the beginning of College Road.
“Traffic from three sides converge on this road. It is a free left for those coming in from Chetpet and going towards College Road. Then there are vehicles coming in from Nungambakkam High Road and Sterling Road. The barricades will help motorist ride comfortably,” said Sambasivam.
However, reactions from people who cross the signal regularly have been mixed. S. Santhosh, a Kilpauk resident, says, “The traffic slows down because of the red barricades, but it is hassle-free. We don’t have to worry about two-wheelers and autos taking a sudden turn.”
Some say that not everyone is following the rules and sneak into the free lanes. “Often, there are cars and autos using lanes meant for buses. What’s the point of cluttering the road when people don’t follow the rules?” says an auto driver from Choolaimedu.
Recently, a survey was conducted to study the traffic flow at the signal. Residents say the junction is a key point and the police should leave no stone unturned in enabling smooth flow of traffic.