CHENNAI: The lack of functional street lights along the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road stretch outside the Chennai Airport has worried commuters during the nights, especially in the rainy season.
The stretch towards Tambaram, outside the airport, poses a dark look in the night as only high-beam car lights are seen. Motorists say this makes the stretch accident prone.
The crucial GST road stretch also has a level-crossing from the airport and vice-versa. Commuters getting down at the airport or the airport metro use the junction to cross the road to go to the suburbs.
Apart from this, passengers from the Tirusulam railway station also use the stretch to catch public transport.
“The lights haven’t been functioning ever since the new flyover outside the airport was inaugurated. Due to this negligence, many commuters are feeling unsafe,” said Dayanand Krishnan, a resident of Chitlapakkam, a suburb located next to the airport.
He said he had raised the issue with the Highways Department but action is yet to be taken. “I wrote to the department but they said maintenance is supposed to be done by the local body of the area,” he said.
Earlier, lights weren’t functioning in the Pallavaram-Airport stretch as well but after repeated complaints by local activists, they were fixed.
Suresh G, who commutes to Tambaram from Guindy by a two-wheeler for work, said lack of street lights was a problem during the monsoon as waterlogging is rampant. “While four-wheelers somehow navigate in the water, it is dangerous for us,” he lamented.
On the new flyover too, lights haven’t been fixed since it was inaugurated. When contacted by The New Indian Express, Pallavaram Municipality officials said they would look into the issue.