Anna Salai diversion throws life out of gear

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Never in the last year-and-a-half had N. Saranya, a 27-year-old IT professional working in an MNC near Kamarajar Hall on Anna Salai, been late to work.

However, her unblemished record was marred on Friday, courtesy the police who diverted traffic over 200 meters from Teynampet signal towards Anna Flyover to facilitate the ongoing metro rail work.

Saranya’s was not an isolated case. There were many like her and all because of the additional time taken to traverse a few hundred meters in front of Anna Arivalayam.

One of them was a 37-year-old marketing manager from Saidapet, M. Azhaguraja. “Normally it requires less than a minute to reach DMS from Teynampet signal.

However, today it took me around 30 minutes. From Teynampet signal, I took a diversion and went through T Nagar to reach Anna flyover before taking a ‘U’ turn from there to reach DMS,” said Azhaguraja. “My client was gone long before I reached there. I would rather use TTK Road from SIET to avoid Anna Salai hereafter,” he added.

The situation faced by Florence Arokiaraj of Nandanam was no different. The homemaker was late by half-an-hour in picking her son from karate class because of the diversion.

“As it is Eldams Road is one-way. The situation has become worse with the stretch in front of Anna Arivalayam also becoming one-way,” she complained. At least, bus passengers would be saved the torture as buses are allowed to take a diversion from the signal in front of Arivalayam, she said.