The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reporter's Diary

VIPs indulged, citizens ignored

When a galaxy of VVIPs was in the city the other day to felicitate Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on his completing 50 years as a legislator, curbs on movement hit all sections of road-users hard.

For instance, at the Periyar Statue junction on Anna Salai, pedestrians were not allowed anywhere near the intersection for some time. They were not allowed to cross from one side of Sivananda Salai to the other at the junction. As crowds of stranded pedestrians swelled, several persons returning from offices found it difficult to use the pavement. Appreciation of the hardship faced by the public came from none other than a constable who regretted that people suffered for the sake of important dignitaries. A motorist could be heard muttering darkly about the "VVIP-oriented policing."

The show goes on

Last week, the CB CID conducted raids across the State and arrested over 100 people for allegedly selling lottery tickets. Regular customers of the lottery were in a fix as the police had seized tickets worth over Rs.3 crore. A senior police officer even claimed that they had busted a `business' thriving underground.

But, it was proved wrong. Sensing the pulse of the regulars, the associates of the arrested persons clandestinely opened up mobile shops. According to them, there has been brisk business.

Two days ago, when a customer arrived at one such shop near Egmore railway station, the lottery seller left the spot after recognising that the person was a policeman in plain clothes.

Going their own way

Traffic from Poonamallee High Road to Chetpet signal slows down to a crawl near the Harrington Road subway several times during the day. The reason is not that the subway is clogged with traffic, as is frequently the case with the one near the Choolaimedu signal. Vehicles turning towards Choolaimedu next to the Harrington Road subway, for some reason, do not take the spacious road provided for the purpose above the subway. Drivers of two-, three- and four-wheelers insist on taking a tight U-turn around the temporary medians that end exactly where the subway begins.

As they take their own cautious time making this delicate manoeuvre and are often prevented from making the turn by oncoming traffic, traffic piles up behind them. The incessant honking has become a permanent feature and residents complain that traffic snarls in the adjoining streets have gone up.

(Contributions by K.T.Sangameswaran, L. Srikrishna and J. Malarvizhi)

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