The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Congestion at its worst when there were traffic diversions

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Sunday, Oct 26, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Congestion at its worst when there were traffic diversions

S. Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI: It was perhaps the worst ever traffic congestion in Chennai City in recent years. Vehicular movement came to a grinding halt on all major routes on Friday evening resulting in many people missing flights, trains and buses to their destinations ahead of the Deepavali festival holidays.

Amidst heavy downpour, traffic diversions and blocks were enforced to facilitate the human chain organised in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. While Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi launched the protest at the Collectorate, thousands of participants, representing various political parties, schools and colleges stood drenched along Anna Salai for hours.

Though it was actually planned to hold the human chain on either side of the road without disrupting traffic, things changed as VIPs were also part of the programme. As Mr. Karunanidhi went on a whistle-stop tour stopping at every junction either waving at participants or exchanging pleasantries with party functionaries, traffic was blocked as part of the standard security protocol.

“The convoy of the Chief Minister was also held up at three places as vehicles could not be cleared ahead. Since all arterial roads were packed with vehicles and approach roads submerged under rainwater, it was a near lock situation (vehicles getting jammed in all directions). Breakdown of heavy vehicles added to the congestion,” said a senior police official.

At Kathipara junction, knee-deep water remained till late on Friday affecting vehicle movement towards airport and Tambaram. Since many roads were fully or partly submerged, road width narrowed down leading to chaos, the official added.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sunil Kumar said traffic police worked till early on Saturday to restore normality. The traffic is usually heavy on Fridays with more of outgoing vehicles. As the Metropolitan Transport Corporation operated hundreds of special buses to clear the extra rush of shoppers, congestion remained at Koyambedu bus stand for a few hours, he said.

The prolonged traffic jam led to many people heading towards the airport and railway station to get off their cars or other vehicles and try taking autorickshaws. Some even walked quite a distance to catch flights and trains, but many in vain.

The car of a Director-General of Police was also caught in traffic snarls. Though the official tried postponing his trip to later flights to Hyderabad, he could not reach in time. With no other option, the DGP, along with some top officials, had to return by the suburban train, the police said.

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