The new traffic regulation system introduced by the police at Chinthamani near Anna statue in the city has received mixed response from road users.
As per the plan, introduced a few days ago, the police have blocked a portion of road around the Anna statue so as to deny direct entry towards Mela Chinthamani from Nandhi Koil street and other nearby streets.
Sign-boards have been placed to notify the diversion to motorists. Motorists heading towards Mela Chinthamani from Nandhi Koil Street will have to drive up to Mayas Hotel to take a U-turn to join Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road.
Otherwise, motorists will have to go via Chathram Bus Stand from Nandhi Koil Street or Andal Street to join on Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road to reach Mela Chinthamani.
However, there is no change in the system for motorists to drive along Nandhi Koil Street from Mela Chinthamani.
The move has not gone down well among residents of Mela Chinthamani.
They are of the view that it is unnecessary when the old system was in no way responsible for traffic mess on Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road.
“The traffic congestion is mainly due to indiscriminate parking of buses at the Anna statue bus stop.
Two wheelers proceeding towards Mela Chinthamani do not create much trouble. The move forces us to take detour to reach Mela Chinthamani,” says S. Panchatcharam, a resident of Mela Chinthamani.
He added that the traffic mess could be solved to an extent by creating a bay at Anna statue bus stop for city buses.
Similarly, clearing of encroachments by milk vendors and road side eaters would ease the situation a bit.
