Narrow stretch of EVR Periyar Salai at Aminjikarai drives up traffic woes in Chennai

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Commuters on EVR Periyar Salai have expressed concern over heavy traffic congestion caused by unregulated parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers upon the narrow stretch of the road at Aminjikarai, especially at peak hours on working days.

‘A nightmare’

The 700-metre stretch lies between the Pachaiyappa’s College signal and the Shenoy Nagar signal. “It is a nightmare to cross this stretch on Poonamalle High Road, even on two-wheelers, at peak hours. The situation is worse in the evening. The traffic starts within a few metres after the Pachaiyappa’s College signal. Sometimes, vehicles crawl bumper to bumper, taking more than 10 minutes to navigate the stretch,” says S. Selvakumar, a resident of Nerkundram, who takes the road daily to commute from his office at Chennai Central.

M. Thamizh Selvi, another commuter, says, “The congestion is triggered by unregulated parking and encroachments. The Aminjikarai stretch of EVR Periyar Salai is narrower than other stretches. Yet, many people who visit the shops along the stretch park their vehicles on the road, leading to severe traffic snarls at peak hours. Parking regulations are not strictly enforced. The issue remains unresolved for years even after it was brought to the notice of officials several times.”

Several other commuters point out that vehicles pile near the median opening along the stretch to take a right turn to enter Shenoy Nagar.

“A policeman has been deployed to regulate the movement of vehicles. But his job is quite tiring , given the volume of traffic that grows within a few minutes. The sustainable solution would be to widen the road and remove the encroachments. The police should declare the entire stretch a no-parking zone,” says J. Ramachandran, a resident of Aminjikarai.

When contacted, a police officer said the stretch was declared a no-parking zone. Steps would be taken to strictly enforce the traffic regulations. However, a long-term solution would be to widen the road by removing encroachments and acquiring land on either side.