Vehiclular movement on the arterial Alagarkoil Road near Tallakulam came to a standstill on Monday. Reason: AIADMK functionaries had lined up along the stretch to witness the nomination of party's Mayoral candidate V.V. Rajan Chellappa at Anna Maaligai, the Corporation office.
Motorists proceeding from K. Pudur towards Goripalayam were not aware of the sudden blockade near the Periyar statue. When they wanted to know the reason, traffic police personnel just directed them to take the diversion and proceed. In the opposite direction, it was all the more worse. From 12.45 p.m., diversion at the Gokhale Road junction towards New Natham Road and on the other side stalled the vehicle movement totally. For at least 20 minutes, vehicles got so choked along the stretch that the tail of the traffic jam was spotted in far away Goripalayam.
An ambulance driver who was proceeding from Periyar statue towards Government Rajaji Hospital at 1.10 p.m. had a tough time as the AIADMK party functionaries had encroached the entire road giving very little space for the vehicle to move from the spot.
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As the by-lanes off Tallakulam and Gokhale Road was packed with two-wheelers and autorickshaws of cadres who had come to witness the nomination, other vehicles could not move away from the problem point, said a banker who was proceeding to Town Hall Road from B.B. Kulam.
On the K.K. Nagar Main Road too traffic was blocked near the arch since diverted vehicles among the regular traffic bound for Kuruvikaran Salai and the Collectorate were caught in the traffic jam.
The authorities could have announced through media that traffic would be either blocked or diverted in the vicinity for two hours. This would have prevented motorists from avoiding the area or pass through in advance, public fumed.
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Meanwhile, DMK functionaries have planned to file nomination of its party's Mayoral candidate Packianathan on Tuesday.