CHENNAI: It has been three years since the completion of MRTS station works near Vanuvampet Junction. But motorists travelling towards both Thillai Ganga Nagar subway and Velachery are forced to take a roundabout of at least a kilometre for a U-turn as the space between the medians has been closed with barricades.
To avoid the long detour, most motorists drive on the wrong side. And with road works going on in the area currently, the area is a complete mess during peak hours.“The work began around June 2018. Instead of going straight, vehicles are diverted to the left at Vanuvampet junction on the Velachery-GST Road, and once again forced to turn right near Sri Devi Kumariamman Koil for travelling towards Guindy. Though we were okay with it in the beginning, it seems ridiculous now as the work ended more than three years ago and the authorities don’t seem to be interested in removing the barricades,” rued Rama Rao, an activist at Nanganallur.
Due to this, motorists heading towards Velachery station are now travelling on the wrong side for 200 metres to avoid a roundabout of 1.5 km to reach the other side and traffic snarls have become a common sight.Pedestrians rue there is no place to walk as vehicles come from both sides. The vital stretch connects Velachery with Madipakkam, Nanganallur, Adambakkam and others.
“On one side, petrol prices are soaring and on the another side, we see this apathy. Four-wheelers and even ambulances opt to go in the wrong direction. The situation near the Puzhithivakkam police junction is similar, which has also been barricaded for MRTS work,” said K Nagesh, a resident of Adambakkam.
It may be noted the Highways Department has proposed to build a new subway at Vanunvampet junction connecting Mount-Medavakkam Road and Velachery-Alandur Road. It will be 290m long and 11m wide. Once the subway work begins, vehicles may once again be diverted.Officials from the Highways Department said MRTS officials will have to give them clearance for removing the barricades, but they have not received it yet.