Traffic snarl for several hours in the evening on the most important arterial road towards Chennai has become the order of the day.
Development of realty, growth of software industry, and construction of road overbridges have seen a phenomenal growth of traffic on Grand Southern Road between Tambaram and Chengalpattu over the past few years.
Not only during weekends, but on weekdays, it takes several hours to negotiate the distance between Guduvanchery and Tambaram. D. R. Muthu said that a few months ago, he spent most of his time on his moped held up in long traffic snarls between Guduvanchery and Perungalathur. A resident of Ayyanchery near Guduvanchery and retail merchant of snacks, he said that many times, he was unable to reach his shop on time.
Residents and representatives of civic groups around Tambaram said that the problem was due to the delay in completion of the road overbridge to replace the railway level-crossing near Vandalur railway station. Officials of the State Highways Department pointed out that a road overbridge was nearing completion to replace the railway level-crossing near Vandalur railway station. Preliminary work was on to construct a similar bridge near Urapakkam railway station. They said that with mofussil buses arriving at Perungalathur from both Chengalpattu and Tambaram directions, the road width of GST Road was not proportionate and hence the problem. They were hopeful that once the present bus shelter in Perungalathur was completed, traffic snarls on GST Road would not be as acute.
