CHENNAI: A combination of quarterly examination holidays, the weekend rush and vehicles heading to Madurantakam for election campaigning has triggered severe traffic congestion on the Chennai–Tiruchy National Highway, leaving thousands of motorists and passengers stranded.
The quarterly examination holidays for schools began on Friday and will continue till October 4. With families from Chennai and its suburbs heading to their native places for the holidays, traffic volume on the highway has increased considerably.
At the same time, campaigning for the Madurantakam Assembly by-election, scheduled for October 6, is under way across the constituency. Vehicles carrying political party functionaries and supporters from different parts of the State have also added to the traffic on the highway.
At the same time, campaigning for the Madurantakam Assembly by-election, scheduled for October 6, is under way across the constituency. Vehicles carrying political party functionaries and supporters from different parts of the State have also added to the traffic on the highway.
The situation has been further aggravated by the ongoing flyover construction at three locations in Chengalpet district including Madurantakam, Pukkathurai and Padalam.
While traffic has been slow-moving at Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram, Vandalur, Urapakkam, Guduvanchery and Singaperumal Koil, motorists have faced severe congestion around Padalam, Karunguzhi, Melavalampettai and Madurantakam. Vehicles have been lined up for nearly four kilometres at some stretches.
While traffic has been slow-moving at Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram, Vandalur, Urapakkam, Guduvanchery and Singaperumal Koil, motorists have faced severe congestion around Padalam, Karunguzhi, Melavalampettai and Madurantakam. Vehicles have been lined up for nearly four kilometres at some stretches.
The situation has become particularly difficult with the congestion extending to daytime. During previous holiday and festival periods, heavy traffic on the Chennai–Trichy highway was generally witnessed during the morning, evening and night. On Friday, congestion was reported even during afternoon.
With temperatures remaining high during the day, passengers stuck inside vehicles have been facing additional discomfort as traffic crawls through the affected stretches.
Motorists also pointed to inadequate traffic police deployment. During festival seasons and other anticipated periods of heavy traffic, additional personnel are usually deployed and traffic diversions are introduced at key points.
However, the current traffic surge appears to have coincided with election-related security duties in Madurantakam constituency, leaving fewer personnel available for traffic regulation.
Residents and motorists have urged the police to immediately deploy additional personnel along the affected stretches and introduce traffic management measures
to ease the congestion.
to ease the congestion.
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