Chitlapakkam Main Road under siege

Vehicles being parked on both sides of a road with impunity will have an impact on traffic movement. Reduced carriageway almost always equals traffic logjams, particularly so on a road as busy as Chitlapakkam Main Road.

A major link road, Chitlapakkam Main Road “assembles” Chromepet, Chitlapakkam, Sanatorium and East Tambaram from the MIT Flyover into a region. The road is lined with a diversity of establishments and public facilities which include a Tangedco unit, a veterinary hospital, offices of the Panchayat Union, two Central government warehouses (the Defence Ministry’s Canteen Stores Department and the Central Warehousing Corporation), MIT Sports Ground, temples, a public park, a popular restaurant and Varadaraja Theatre. Though the day, movement of vehicles is incessant with sharp spikes during certain hours.

In a normal situation, the road should be able to take this traffic load without groaning. But it is the added and unnecessary load of vehicles parked on both sides that breaks its back. Besides increased commuting time, this situation also has safety implications for motorists and pedestrians.

“Driving on this stretch has become extremely difficult,” says M.A. Vasudevan, a resident of Paul Victor Street. “Once I nearly collided with a vehicle — one that had been seized by the police — which was parked haphazardly on the road,” he recalls.

Vehicles seized by the police and parked outside the Chitlapakkam police station are among factors narrowing the road.

“Usually, these vehicles are cleared within a week, but new ones occupy the space soon after. We have no dedicated yard to store them,” says a police official attached to the Traffic Investigation Wing under the Chitlapakkam Police Station limits. “Vehicles are also parked haphazardly on both sides of Chitlapakkam lake, increasing congestion,” Vasudevan adds.

The presence of roadside eateries and partial encroachments adds to the congestion. College buses from distant areas such as Sriperumbudur and Padappai hitting the road compound the problem.

Residents note that despite repeated representations to the authorities, no concrete action has been taken.