CHENNAI: With a huge number of motorists daily using the subway near Arundhathiyar Nagar, which was originally intended for use only by local residents, the clamour for a better road in the area has grown louder. Arundhathiyar Nagar is a residential area in North Chennai that lies between Vyasarpadi in the north and Perambur in the South.
Vehicles plying from Vyasarpadi towards Otteri have to take the Perambur High Road or the Ambedkar College Road. However, to avoid an extra travel of 2 km, motorists use the narrow road on Perambur High Road and drive through Arundhathiyar Nagar.
The subway is so cramped that the two-wheeler riders have to duck while travelling through here.
The subway under the railway track was originally constructed for pedestrians and vehicles from Arundhathiyar Nagar to reach Vyasarpadi.
“Over the course of time, commuters from the north side began to use the pathway as a shortcut to reach Otteri and other areas down south,” said Arul, a resident. The haphazard movement of vehicles and frequent traffic snarls are posing a nightmare for the residents.
Moreover, the poor condition of narrow roads in Polleri Amman, Eligan and Govindan streets adds to the misery. A corporation primary school in Polleri Amman street is one of the major spots, where traffic gets congested often.
“During morning and evening hours, the traffic congestion is severe. At other times, speeding motorists make the area prone to accidents,” said S Vidhya, another resident.
So to mitigate risk of road accidents, residents have demanded the authorities to improve the quality of the roads and install speed breakers. “Children here walk to their school, so they are the ones who have to bear the maximum brunt of the traffic mayhem,” said C B Parandhaman, a resident and activist. A corporation official promised to address the issue in the coming days.