Road works tell a tale of tailbacks at Teynampet

CHENNAI: Commuting through Teynampet in the morning peak-hour traffic has always been a challenge, and the recent developments have made the task even more arduous. Three factors have compounded the congestion - more barricades placed on the stretch from Anna Salai to KB Dasan Road for the flyover construction, incomplete drainage work on Eldams Road, and stormwater drain repairs in Alwarpet - with MTC buses and heavy vehicles diverted to service roads, the added load on the flyover has resulted in slow-moving traffic during rush hours. As new barricades have come up, the already narrow road has become even more congested, especially during peak hours. With MTC buses trying to turn at KB Dasan Road or Cenotaph Road, it has become unbearable, said Lathish, an auto driver from Teynampet. At the Cenotaph Road junction, even pedestrians are struggling to cross the road. Rukmani, a 45-year-old resident of Saidapet, heading to her office in Broadway, said, Earlier, the congestion was only till Nandanam, and after the signal, we were relieved. Now, traffic eases only after crossing the Cenotaph Road junction. The stretch towards Teynampet becomes too narrow near the junction, adding to the congestion. Just adjacent to KB Dasan Road is the Eldams Road, one of Teynampets busiest stretches, and is often packed even during non-peak hours. Over the past week, traffic has worsened after the road near the Thiruvalluvar Salai junction was dug for underground drainage work. MTC buses trying to cross this section cause long tailbacks. A source from the police department said the drainage work is over, but some small tasks remain. Also, the concrete is still wet due to recent rains, so workers havent closed it fully. Barricades have been placed, and a small path on the other side of the pit has been created for two-wheelers, he said. At Alwarpet, a section of the service road near Kauvery Hospital junction up to Sriman Srinivasan Road has been blocked for stormwater drain repairs. The flyover, usually one-way towards CP Ramasamy Road, has been made two-way to accommodate diverted traffic. This has led to slow-moving traffic on both sides during peak hours. At the blocked section, vehicles are being diverted via Murrays Gate Road - Seshadri Road - Kasturi Rangan Road - Cathedral Road or Seshadri Road - JJ Road - TTK Road. Kumar of Abhiramapuram, a private firm employee, said, Earlier, there used to be a queue of vehicles from CP Ramasamy Road as all vehicles had to take the service road to reach TTK Road. With the flyover becoming two-way, even though traffic moves slowly at times, its a big relief. A police source said the changes have been implemented alongside the stormwater drain work, aimed at easing congestion on Anna Salai. The police are monitoring how the new traffic modifications are working, and continuing the two-way system on the flyover is under consideration, he added.