The Greater Chennai Police has implemented road diversion through Sastri Nagar 1st Avenue, 1st Main Road, and M.G.Road since Sep.14 due to the ongoing CMRL work on L.B.Road (near Telephone Exchange). The diversion has led to many heavy vehicles passing through residential neighbourhoods and reckless driving that endangers pedestrians and cyclists.
Many residents had mailed Adyar Times indicating an accident waiting to happen. At around noon on Nov.19, Dr.Thirupathi, his wife, and another pedestrian were gravely injured when a speeding car lost control and hit them, while they were walking on the pavement.
The event took place near the junction of 5th Cross Street and 1st Main Road. Dr.Thirupathi sustained severe injuries on his head and the police informed that he was still on ventilator support as of Nov.22. His wife suffered injuries on the hip, but the injuries were not grave. The third pedestrian sustained minor injuries on her leg and didn’t require admission.
The police point out that due to the ongoing CMRL work, traffic is being diverted through inroads and residential areas throughout the city. While this is inevitable, they said they are open to possible solutions to ease the problem.
Currently, the whole stretch from where the diversion starts to where it ends has no traffic lights or a manned section, and hardly any speed breakers. With unwalkable pavements at many places and speeding vehicles on the whole stretch, the roads have become a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists. The stretch on M.G.Road – between 1st Main Road junction and the Malaviya Avenue junction, too has become chaotic due to the heavy influx of traffic and has become a choker point. This is another junction where danger awaits.
Over the months, many residents have written to us about the need to have better safety measures in place on the impacted roads. Here we share two of them.
V.Sriram, Sastri Nagar says…
On the morning of Nov.19, there was an accident at the intersection of 5th Cross Street and 1st Main Road Sastri Nagar, which resulted in the fatality of a person who was on his morning walk around the area. While I express my condolences to the dear departed and his family, I would like to bring to your notice a couple of points.
Sastri Nagar 1st Main Road is off late hosting dense traffic, with vehicles of all passing through. On either side of the road, there is a big bump (a raised strip of land), which greatly hinders the crossing of vehicles and people, especially at junctions (i.e.: 5th Cross Street and 8th Cross Street intersect at 1st Main Road). When both these factors come together, it creates possibilities for accidents.
Hence, I request the corporation and road safety department to install traffic signals and traffic wardens to regulate traffic better – at the junction of 1st Avenue and 1st Main Road, and at the intersection of 5th Cross Street and 1st Main Road.
Hoping to have more safer roads for our community.
N.V.Chandrasekharan, Sastri Nagar, states…
For the last few weeks, the entire traffic bound from Adyar side to Thiruvanmiyur along L.B.Road has been diverted along the 1st Main Road in Sastri Nagar, due to the ongoing CMRL work on L.B.Road.
The authorities did a great job relaying the turf of the 1st Main Road ‘like a billiards table top’ and painted the sides with white paint to demarcate the traffic limits.
While in some stretches the pavement exists, no steps have been taken to ensure they are continuous. The pedestrians must spill over to the dangerous side of the white border – not to mention the whizzing two-wheelers driving at break-neck speed on the so-called space for the pedestrians on the other side of the white line. Adding to their agony are the parked cars, close to the non-existent pavement in front of shops, lorry loads of chicken unloaded / welding workshops right where pedestrians should be safely walking, temporary eateries, parked two-wheelers on the pavement etc., that force pedestrians to risk their lives on the vehicular path.
The problem is, while they are mighty pleased looking at the roadway for motorists, they have sadly forgotten about the plight of pedestrians walking on either side of the road. There is virtually a ‘hit-me-if-you-can’ circus every minute on the sides.
Added to that are two-wheelers driving from the opposite side when you least expect them as you are busily negotiating for a safe path. Here we also have gutters on the roadside concreted at many places for cars to drive above them into the apartments, preventing the free flow of rainwater, thus causing large puddles of water on the sides even after a brief shower that the pedestrians must negotiate to step on to the traffic path.
This is a very serious safety hazard and a barbaric scheme of things. The photos here are just a few samples to emphasise the point of view. It shall be noted that 1st Main Road is not a state highway where pedestrians do not usually walk on the sides.
Request authorities to take a walk, see firsthand, take a wholesome view, and quickly act before we have a tragic happening on the road.
