This June, the Chennai Traffic police installed flickering LED stop lines at the Kamaraj Salai — Radhakrishnan Salai Junction. The pilot scheme was aimed at curbing traffic violations and accidents. Four months later, only metal strips remain, while the LED lights are gone.
Police sources said that the LED lights stopped functioning due to electrical problems and were removed to be repaired about a month ago. However, the police are not sure whether the LED lights will be put back again.
Motorists say that removing the LED lights without removing the metal strips that supported them, is an invitation to trouble.
Chennai: 10-06-2019, For City: LED reflectors lights putting on the road near IG office Stop line and Queen Marys College. Photo: M. Karunakaran
“The metal strips are difficult to spot and there is not enough response time to apply brakes. The risk is higher at night when the strips can’t be seen at all. The police are well aware that this road is one of the busiest in the city. The metal strips will not only damage the wheels of the vehicles but also cause accidents. The traffic police should remove the strips and build a speed breaker to prevent accidents,” says K. Rajkumar, a motorist from Teynampet.
Though the road falls within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits, it is maintained by the State Highways.
A State Highways official says that the metal strips can be removed only after an alternative plan is put in place. “Even then, the work can be done only at night due to VVIP movement on this stretch during the day. The work involves digging the stretch to remove the metal plates and then topping the dug-up portion with bitumen. Being a VVIP route, clearance for such work should be given by senior officials in the State government. As a temporary measure, the metal strips have been tampered to be on level with the road. Once approval comes through, they will be removed,” the official adds.
