The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : One-way rule leads to chaos at Maitrivanam

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Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

One-way rule leads to chaos at Maitrivanam

Staff Reporter

Policemen posted at the bustling intersection find it difficult to regulate traffic

Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

NOWHERE TO GO: Motorists caught in a state of confusion at Ameerpet junction late on Monday night.

HYDERABAD: Chaos and confusion reigned at Ameerpet and Maitrivanam on Monday as the one-way traffic movement from Dharam Karan road to Yousfguda Basti was enforced.

Traffic jam

The restriction introduced to facilitate free flow of vehicles from Punjagutta to Erragadda and vice versa left commuters fretting and fuming as traffic went haywire at Maitrivanam.

The traffic jam at Maitrivanam continued from morning to late in the night with a few policemen posted at the bustling intersection unable to enforce the rule and regulate the traffic.

From Sunday

The uni-directional movement rule from Dharam Karan road to Yousufguda Basti via Satyam theatre and Maitrivanam was introduced from Sunday.

However, not much traffic movement was witnessed as it was a holiday and rained all through the day.

Chaos began from Monday morning. Congestion was witnessed at Mata temple -- the first point on the one-way route.

With several shop owners and customers parking their cars and two-wheelers on the road leading towards Gurudwara, the already narrow road became even more congested and could not accommodate the huge number of vehicles plyingon that route.

Worst-hit

Worst affected by the rule was the Maitrivanam intersection.

As the median at the junction was not removed, vehicle drivers going from Aditya Hotel side to Sarathi Studios were confused if the one-way rule was being enforced or removed.

As there were not enough traffic policemen at the junction, regulating the vast number of vehicles became a Herculean task.

Noise pollution

As vehicle drivers going from Aditya Park Inn Hotel to Sarathi Studios side waited at the junction for signal clearance, those wanting to turn left towards Ameerpet started honking horns continuously.

“The junction was like fish market with noise pollution driving people crazy,” Subba Rao of Ameerpet remarked.

The traffic police said free flow of traffic from Punjagutta to Erragadda was the idea behind enforcing the rule. For reasons best known to them, they were allowing vehicles coming from Ameerpet to turn right at Maitrivanam intersection.

“This held up traffic movement from all directions. What is the fun in introducing new rules when they cannot enforce them properly?” questioned Durga Prasad.

Some commuters were seen picking up argument with the traffic policemen seeking justification behind enforcement of the one-way rule.

As the route was connected by several lanes and by-lanes, vehicle drivers violated the rule entering the route at different points and travelling in both the directions.

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