One-way traffic pattern on the parallel roads of Gokhale Road and Alagarkoil Road has helped a significant deal in ensuring free flow of traffic in and around the busy Tallakulam area.
However, there are a few places on these roads that witness traffic congestion and also accidents, often due to violation of traffic rules by road users. Chief among the places where violations take place every day is the intersection opposite Tamukkam Grounds where Gokhale Road branches off.
A routine violation here is people taking an U-turn to go towards the Tamukkam instead of travelling a furlong more to take the next right from Gokhale Road. At any given point of time, at least 10 two-wheelers take the wrong U-turn in a span of less than five minutes.
It is not only the two-wheelers, but even share autorickshaws and cars take the wrong turn despite the narrow manoeuvring space. An employee of the petrol pump near the spot said that minor accidents happen often at the spot. “Those coming from Alagarkoil Road often come at a high speed and do not anticipate a vehicle to take a turn on the opposite direction. This results in accident,” he said. “Similarly, buses and trucks come at a high speed from Gorpalayam side and turn left at Gokhale Road. They have to suddenly apply brakes as they do not expect vehicles to slow down for taking the wrong U-turn,” he added.
A big signboard kept at the spot indicating no U-turn had failed to make any impact. A traffic police personnel posted on Gokhale Road suggested that extending the barricades, which have been kept to discourage U-turns, to few more metres might prove helpful.
“However, it has to be done in such a way that the entry and exit to the petrol station is not affected,” he added.
