Recently, the roof of the small bridge on Poonamallee High (PH) Road, near the headquarters of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) in Koyambedu, got a fresh coat of paint. A new digital traffic signal also came up a few hundred metres away.
Both these improvement works, taken up by the Highways Department, follows an accident, in which a truck carrying a defunct transformer got stuck below the grade separator in Maduravoyal on PH Road resulting in traffic chaos.
To prevent such incidents, the bridge in Koyambedu received that painting.
“The painting is a timely action by the authorities as drivers of heavy vehicles can now see the height of the bridge from a distance and respond appropriately,” says K. Sivakumar, a motorist from Virugambakkam.
The roof of the bridge has been painted in fluorescent yellow and blue as those driving heavy vehicles can see the roof of the small bridge from a distance, especially at night. PH Road is a busy stretch at night as container lorries and trailers from manufacturing units in Sriperumbudur and other industrial areas on the city outskirts take the road to reach the port.
And then, the new digital traffic signal has been installed at the intersection near the bridge on PH Road to regulate the traffic flow on the busy stretch.
As the intersection has a ‘U’ turn facility, the new traffic signal helps considerably to prevent accidents.
All mofussil buses heading to the CMBT also take a 'right' turn into the Link Road at the intersection.
All long-distance buses, mainly those operated by the government, were allowed to use Link Road at the Metro Rail station in Koyambedu to access CMBT through its rear entrance in front of the Koyambedu police station between 6 a.m and 11 p.m every day to prevent traffic chaos on J.N. Main Road.
Private buses also have to use the stretch to enter their parking lot, which is located near the Koyambedu police station there.
Apart from this, hundreds of lorries from neighbouring districts like Villupuram, Vellore, Krishnagiri and Hosur use the stretch to reach the wholesale market from 4 a.m. onwards every day of the week.