SALEM: The Four Roads-Omalur stretch in Salem, which passes the new bus stand, has become a traffic hotspot even though a flyover was built here as part of the Puratchi Thalaivi J Jayalalithaa two-tier flyover project to ease traffic.
The service road from the four roads and the landing point of the flyover join at a narrow space, leading to a bottleneck.
A traffic inspector said, "The flyover and the ground- level road below the flyover meet at a very narrow point, leaving little space for vehicles to move smoothly. This is the main reason for the pile-up. Another big issue is the number of commercial complexes on this stretch. Many vehicles stop right in front of these complexes — autorickshaws, taxis, and private vehicles drop customers here. This blocks the road and forces other vehicles to wait. Warnings and fines are issued mainly for such illegal or careless parking in front of shops and complexes. On top of this, most buses avoid the flyover and prefer the service road so that they can drop passengers along the way. This adds even more pressure on the already narrow stretch and slows down traffic further."
For commuters, crossing the stretch has become a tiring daily ritual. "During peak hours, it takes a long time just to move past this road. On weekends, the waiting time doubles. Vehicles are parked outside shops, making it harder for vehicles to pass and even pedestrians struggle to walk," said a commuter.
Commuters say that apart from delays, safety has become a concern. With heavy traffic and parked vehicles blocking space, two-wheelers often weave dangerously between buses and cars, and pedestrians are forced to squeeze through small gaps, especially during peak-hours.
"We were not consulted before the construction of the flyover, and that is one of the major drawbacks. Only corporation officials knew who had approval for commercial complexes. Both did not go hand-in-hand, and this is a key reason for congestion in the area. Meetings are held regularly with the district collector regarding the traffic, and fines are imposed for unauthorised parking," said M Palanisamy, town planning officer of Salem City Municipal Corporation.
With more outlets opening in this busy corridor, commuters fear traffic could get even worse in the coming years.