Select roads and traffic spots in Poonamallee would receive greater attention from the Poonamallee traffic police, as part of a pan-Chennai initiative launched by City Police Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal a fortnight ago.
Called “Adopting A Road”, the exercise is a call to improve traffic conditions in 65 areas known to consistently report more accidents than most others.
With Poonamallee figuring in the list, certain spots and roads in the locality are inviting measures to neautralise factors that contribute to accidents.
Installation of reflective signboards and reflectors, placing of steel barricades and creation of zebra crossings are among the notable measures to be taken in these spots and roads.
Besides, the focus would also be on checking encroachments and illegal parking.
There is already some noticeable intervention at Link Road (which connects Mount-Poonamallee Main Road with Poonamallee High Road), Mangadu intersection, Kattupakkam, Poonamallee Bypass and Kundrathur Main Road.
Each hotspot will be monitored by a traffic inspector within its limits.
“Apart from roads, key junctions, intersections and narrow bends that require safety intervention have been identified,” says N. Ramesh, Inspector, Poonamallee Traffic Enforcement.
The accident-prone spot and the nearby section, up to a distance of 500 metres, will be the focus of correctional measures.
The “Adopting A Road” initiative would require the traffic police to work closely with the other government agencies to ensure changes are effected.
For instance, to make sure these hotspots have concrete median, sufficient lighting, are rid of litter, and are not plagued by stray animals, the traffic police have to interact with the respective local bodies and government agencies.
“This initiative requires us to persuade other government departments including State Highways Department, the local bodies, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) and the Revenue Department to effect certain changes. We have roped in residents and shopkeepers for the initiative,” says N. Ramesh, Inspector, Poonamallee Traffic Enforcement.
The local traffic police have to push for implementation of the necessary safety measures at the routine monthly inter-departmental meetings attended by all stakeholders, mostly government agencies.
The work by the local traffic police is being monitored by the City Police Commissionerate with a special traffic police team that will pay surprise visits to the hotspots to assess the impact of the initiative.
“Every day, we upload photos and videos of the measures being taken within our limits to the WhatsApp group of the city traffic police. Following these inputs, they will carry out a verification exercise independently,” says Ramesh.
On an average, each stretch and junction will be monitored for a month before the local traffic police adopt another stretch that is also in the list.
However, regular updates about the situation in stretches and spots covered earlier should be presented to the City Police Commissionerate.
Published - October 24, 2020 12:32 pm IST
