Special Correspondent
TAMBARAM: A 25-year-old youth was crushed to death by a speeding lorry on Velachery Main Road - Camp Road junction near Tambaram on Saturday.
The youth, L. Vasu, had visited a popular fast food restaurant on Camp Road, which he was scheduled to join on Monday. Later, he travelled towards Tambaram on a motorcycle.
A little ahead of the junction, he swerved to the right as a car was parked ahead on the carriageway.
A goods-laden lorry coming behind him hit Vasu’s motorcycle, throwing him on the road. He came under the wheels of the vehicle. His helmet was smashed to pieces.
The youngest of three children, Vasu earlier worked in a Chennai hotel and was to join as a supervisor at the Camp Road restaurant. His parents, Kumari and Loganathan, were inconsolable. Loganathan, the victim’s father, runs a shoe showroom at Selaiyur. The family resides in Indira Nagar.
Risky zone
The accident caused anger among residents of Selaiyur and Camp Road. They said Velachery Main Road had turned accident-prone zone because of encroachments, accumulation of silt on the carriageway and lack of parking slots.
The 21-km road, connecting Tambaram and Saidapet via Velachery, witnessed a burst in traffic, forcing the Government to carry out improvement works eight years ago.
However, the road could not been widened in some stretches in East Tambaram, Selaiyur, Gowrivakkam and Pallikaranai owing to encroachments.
These spots had become accident prone.
Residents called for coordinated efforts involving the traffic police, Highways, Transport and related departments, local bodies and civic groups.
They said there was not a single traffic signal on Velachery Main Road between Tambaram and Velachery.
“The State Government intends creating infrastructure and laying new roads, but does not accord priority to maintenance and accident prevention,” said Prakasam, an eyewitness and resident of Selaiyur.
Prakasam was among a bunch of people who pursued the lorry, which did not stop at the accident spot. After being beaten up, lorry driver Dass was handed over to the Selaiyur police station. Residents said police action against overspeeding and rash driving by lorries was not severe enough. They called for stringent measures including confiscation of vehicles involved in accidents and temporary suspension of drivers’ licence.
