The ‘free lefts’ aimed at streamlining traffic flow at busy intersections on the city’s roads remain only on paper. Though all the major traffic signals in the city have free left turns, the probability of vehicles utilising the facility remains slim with heavy vehicles and two-wheelers queuing up on the lane resulting in frequent traffic snarls even during non-peak hours.
As a result, hundreds of motorists face the harrowing experience every day with persistent honking and congestion building up at the traffic signals.
Residents complain that traffic police personnel are often not available to regulate traffic at the free left turns. If the police could ensure that autorickshaws and two-wheelers were not occupying the free left space, half of the congestion would be reduced, they said.
A case in point is the traffic signal at the Rajiv Gandhi Square.
“Instead of queuing up on the right lane, vehicles headed towards Thattanchavady and Vazhudavur Road squeeze into the left lane, thus blocking the free left turn. Traffic remains haphazard at this signal as vehicles coming from the 100-feet road on the other side take the wrong direction to go to Cuddalore Road and Villupuram Road,” says S. Ayappan, a resident of VVP Nagar.
The situation is also similar at the Raja theatre signal situated at the intersection of Jawaharlal Nehru Street and Anna Salai. Vehicles headed towards the Beach Road or intending to turn right towards Anna Square usually occupy the entire road at the junction when the red signal is on. As a result, vehicles that have to turn left towards S.V. Patel Salai, get trapped behind other vehicles, resulting in congestion.
The biggest offenders are tempos, vehicles of private institutions, and two-wheeler riders. The vehicles occupy the free left forcing the motorists who want to use it to honk continuously to make way for the vehicles.
“Free lefts are necessary for easy flow of traffic. However, the rules are seldom followed. The traffic police should divide the left turns with barricades to ensure that vehicles don’t occupy the space,” says D. Jayaseelan, a resident of Kombakkam.
A traffic police officer attributed the problem to lack of lane discipline among road users in the city. Most of the roads were also narrow and might not have a free left if they were congested. A solution would be put in place by suitably demarcating the lanes with barricades to enable motorists and vehicles make use of the facility, he said.
