CHENNAI: The congestion at Basin Bridge in North Chennai has turned worse due to the recent traffic diversions.
The diversions were made after the demolition of the centuries-old-Elephant Gate Bridge, which began last week. Due to a tussle between the Southern Railways and TANGEDCO over shifting electric lines beneath the bridge, the demolition was delayed for two years.
However, after both the parties arrived at a solution recently, it was decided that the Elephant Gate Bridge, located just adjacent to the Basin Bridge, will be demolished completely and reconstructed.
Two years ago, owing to the bridge’s dilapidated condition, all the four-wheelers were diverted to Basin Bridge from the Elephant Gate bridge. However, traffic on the Basin Bridge then was minimal as the motorbikes still used the Elephant Gate bridge to connect from Wall Tax Road to areas like Vepery, Choolai and Pulianthope.
But since last week, the Elephant Gate bridge was completely closed for even two-wheelers, which led to all the vehicles using the Basin Bridge. Daily, hundreds of vehicles heading to areas like Vepery, Perambur and Central Railway Station stand choked on the bridge like a blanket.
According to the new traffic diversion plans by the city traffic police, vehicles heading to Demellows Road from Wall Tax Road can now use the Basin Bridge or take a 2 kilometers detour through Wall Tax Road (Central Station), take a right to Raja Muthiah and come back to Choolai.
Vehicles from Demellows Road heading to Wall Tax Rod or Mint can use the Basin Bridge. Traffic police officials said this diversion will remain till the reconstruction of the bridge.
Traffic personnel said this diversion has increased the vehicle density on the Basin Bridge. ‘‘At least 10,000 vehicles pass through the bridge during peak hours. It is beyond the capacity of the bridge can accommodate,’’ said a personnel.
Commuters said that apart from private vehicles, share autos add to the existing traffic on the bridge. ‘‘Since the entrance to Basin Bridge Railway Station is right in the middle of the bridge, hundreds of share autos run and stop as they wish in every point on the bridge. This just brings down the flow of traffic,’’ said Suganthi R, a commuter.
A few months ago, to curb traffic, new diversion plans were made by making the Basin Bridge Junction one way. Express reported on July on how this diversion too had become a failure.
The vehicles from Wall Tax Road could not go directly to the Cochrane Basin (CB) Road to Korukkupet. Also, all vehicles from Mint, heading to the Basin Bridge have to take a longer route, entering Wall Tax Road and again joining the Basin Bridge Junction. This had caused a massive logjam further worsening the problem.
Meanwhile, traffic police officials have no solution to this and said this inconvenience is temporary. Officials said there are not many options to look at, at the moment. ‘‘Only when the construction of the Elephant Gate Bridge is over, vehicles can be reverted to the normal state. Till then, this traffic diversion will remain.’’