[1]Chennai: Nungambakkam, which houses posh residential areas and leading business establishments, is no more a calm area thanks to traffic snarls on the narrow roads.
Adding to the surging vehicle population, the city corporation continues to be a sleeping giant and has failed to decongest the prime location.
With vehicles moving at high speed, commuters find it extremely difficult to cross the road near Nungambakkam railway station. Traffic bottlenecks have become common near Nelson Manickam Road and commuters opine that they are forced to wait for at least 10 minutes to cross the stretch.
Ms R. Ashwini, a regular commuter, said, “During peak hours, between 8.30 am and 10.30 am, a traffic policeman is posted here. But for the rest of the day, the commuters have to wait for several minutes to cross the area. A foot overbridge (FOB) will benefit thousands of commuters who use the other side of the road, opposite Loyola College and take share autos to reach College Road and Gemini.”
College students who take buses find it difficult to cross the road. Samhitha, a student, said, “We cross the road as a group, but it’s tough in the evenings. Moreover, share autos stop near the pathway that leads to Nungambakkam railway station and block the way for pedestrians.”
Commuters demand that a FOB will benefit hundreds of pedestrians as vehicles keep plying all through the day.
Councillor N. Arumugam told DC that a pedestrian FOB had been a long-pending demand of the people. “Local residents welfare associations have been requesting a foot over bridge and for that a 6 feet wide land needs to be acquired from the nearby cemetery.
Mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy has assured that he would conduct a meeting in this regard and explore constructing a new FOB,” he added.
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