Traffic changes introduced at Sunnambu Kolathur junction to ease congestion

Following the success of easing the traffic congestion which prevailed at the Velachery Main Road and Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial road junction in Pallikaranai a few months ago, the Pallikaranai Traffic Police have implemented traffic changes at the Sunnambu Kolathur junction located on the congested Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road a few weeks ago. 

The Velachery Main Road and Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial road junction in Pallikaranai also called Kamakshi Hospital junction was a nightmare for motorists despite having a flyover. Motorists proceeding below the flyover had to wait for several minutes to cross the junction. 

The Pallikaranai Traffic police of the Tambaram Police Commissionerate to ease the traffic congestion prevailing at the Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road of Sunnambu Kathur had made traffic changes by removing the traffic signals at two junctions including the Sunnambu Kolathur Main Road and Dr. Ambedkar Salai and Vinayagapuram main road traffic junctions. The Sunnambu Kolathur junction had traffic congestion similar to Kamakshi hospital junction and to ease the traffic bottleneck the traffic police had opened ‘U’ turns on the radial road for vehicles to proceed without much delay. While this new traffic arrangements have eased the traffic congestion at the signal junctions, it has opened a new issue of wrong side driving, at the Sunnambu Kolathur Main Road and Dr. Ambedkar Salai. 

S. Muneeswaran, a resident of Dr. Ambedkar Salai of Sunnambu Kolathur, said the new traffic arrangements has to a large extent removed the traffic congestion at the signal junction but wrong side driving particularly by two-wheelers bound for the hotels and shops have increased as the motorists to avoid proceeding a long distance to reach the other side of the destination have started driving on the wrong side through the U turns. 

L. Kasirajan, a regular motorist from Pallavaram using the radial road, said having removed the two signal junctions at Sunnambu Kathur and Vinayagapuram Road and blocking it with barricades the traffic congestion has been shifted to the U turns with heavy vehicles occupying two of the three lanes causing congestion. The traffic police would have put traffic constable a to regulate the traffic at the U turns during peak morning and evening hours. 

A senior official of the Tambaram Police Commissionerate the new traffic measure has been initiated as a pilot project and only based on the feedback received the traffic measures would be made permanent.