Chennai Metro work puts life in slow lane

Chennai: Normal life in North Chennai, particularly in high profile R.K. Nagar represented by former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, is hit due to constant traffic snarls caused by the ongoing metro rail work.

 With Chennai metro rail placing barricades along arterial Thiruvottiyur high road for about six km starting from Washermenpet to Thiruvottiyiur, normalcy is completely hit as vehicles crawl till late in the night.

 According to local residents and motorists, it takes 45 minutes extra to cross the stretch during peak hours. There are 15 wards of city corporation supporting a population of about 6 lakh connected with arterial TH road and now a motorist plying between Mint junction to Thiruvottiyur (which is just about 7 kilometers) has to spend more than two hours for the transit.   

 “With the narrow roads being barricaded ambulances are often caught and there are daily cases of vehicles breaking down piling up the traffic for 500 to 1,000 metres, ” said a sub inspector attached to the traffic investigation in north Chennai. “The diversion of traffic via beach road from Royapuram to Thiruvottiyur has added congestion to the beach road and the only respite for local residents can be early completion of the project,” said advocate and former councillor Subash Chandra Bose.

“The residents are worried as the monsoon is approaching. Commuting will be a nightmare if water logging is not cleared by authorities,” he added.

 “Motorists and public demand early completion of the project as traffic snarls hit normal life. Children are forced to leave to school early and they come late. Further the air pollution is severe due to dust in near Lakshmi koil in Tondiarpet,” rued T. Dhinakaran, a central government employee residing in R K Nagar.

 When contacted, Chennai metro rail officials said the project is scheduled for completion by 2019. The contractors have been instructed to ensure that the project is completed as per the schedule without any delay, sources added.