On the section of Arcot Road, near Meenakshi College in Kodambakkam, a row of concrete slabs was removed two weeks ago. These concrete slabs had been serving as a median, but they had to go because they also caused accidents at night. There have been cases of motorists ploughing into these stones, as they were not clearly visible at night time.
However, the section from which the slabs were removed need to be relaid, to prevent another type of accidents. There are instances of motorcyclists skidding on this section, which is damaged due to the digging.
“Chunks of bitumen from the dug-up portion can be found strewn across the stretch near the ramp of the Kodambakkam flyover. Motorcyclists skid on them and get hurt,” says S. Pavan Kumar, a resident of Vadapalani. The Greater Chennai Corporation has also decided to widen the service lane to ease the traffic flow on this section of Arcot Road.
As per the rules, motorists coming from streets in the neighbourhood are not supposed to take the flyover via the service lane. To check such violations, the traffic police extended the steel barricades from the ramp of the flyover towards the main road, thereby preventing motorists on the flyover from taking a left turn to reach the streets in the neighbourhood. However, motorists travel a little further beyond the steel barricades and take a left turn to go to the streets on both sides of the flyover. CCTV cameras are in place at the ramp of the flyover.
A GCC official says, “The damaged portion of Arcot Road near the college will be relaid soon.”
