The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Small lanes hit by big traffic menace

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Sunday, May 17, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Small lanes hit by big traffic menace

Meera Srinivasan

— Photo: R.RAGU

Crowded: A narrow street in Royapettah bearing the brunt of a one-way stretch nearby.

CHENNAI: Several streets and lanes, largely residential, are increasingly beginning to resemble noisy main roads.

In many cases, it is the proximity to one-way stretches that result in vehicles diverting to these lanes.

Ramanujam Street off Venkatnaraya Road, for instance, is parallel to Burkit Road, which was converted to a one-way stretch last year. “The number of share autorickshaws passing by is unbelievable. The noise and dust on our street have increased so much,” says J.Govindan, a resident of the street. “We have been living here for nearly 40 years and now it is like any other main road,” he adds.

S.Sriram’s experience is also similar. A resident of Raju Naicken Street in West Mambalam, he says he asks his children to be careful even while going to the neighbour’s house. “I have to, because our area is not residential anymore. Since the parallel main road is a one-way, all vehicles that need to go straight from that point take our road to join the main road again.”

B.Raju, who runs a mobile laundry in the locality, says the smoke and dust generated often leave him coughing throughout the day. “Share autorickshaws keep going non-stop.”

Another problem that residents in such lanes point to is rash driving by motorists. “They find the lanes relatively empty and drive very fast. It is very dangerous for pedestrians,” says M.Sundari, a resident of Royapettah.

The more recent casualties are the lanes parallel to Cenotaph Road, after the construction of the flyover at the Cenotaph Road-Turnbulls Road flyover gained momentum.

Right from heavy vehicles to an annoying array of motorbikes, vehicles take the smaller lanes to reach their destinations.

When contacted, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Shakeel Akhter said, “Near Cenotaph Road, only this arrangement is possible at the moment. Since the construction work is going on at a fast pace, a very convenient system be come into effect soon. We are trying our best to minimise the inconvenience of residents.”

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