Commuters passing through the Anna Nagar Blue Star signal are facing a peculiar problem: traffic congestion after 10 p.m. These are no office hours, but the police and residents say the rising number of food outlets and carts has added to the volume of traffic until after midnight at weekends.
The signal on the Second Avenue links the area to Nungambakkam, Arumbakkam, and Koyambedu. It handles at least 10,000 vehicles a day. As the area has become home to a food court and food carts, people from across the city go there for a bite at night.
“The signal is becoming one of the busiest places throughout the day, but the traffic is manageable as the signal is working. However, at night when the food trucks are in, the traffic grows. It is bumper-to-bumper at 2 a.m. at weekends as the signal does not work,” says Karthic Rathinam, a resident of Anna Nagar.
‘Some rules will help’
Some residents say that if the signal works after 10 p.m. with policemen on duty, it will be easy to handle the traffic. “There is nothing new in people going out at night; but traffic management should keep pace with the times. We are glad that Chennai, once known as a sleepy town, offers nightlife; however, putting in place some rules will help,” he adds.
“I am frustrated every time I get stuck at the signal, where the traffic is insane. It seems every Gen Z kid in the city flocks here to hang out. Anna Nagar used to be so pleasant to drive through at night. Now it is filled with bustling trucks and massive traffic jams with impatient drivers,” says T. Raja, a commuter.
Traffic at night is not the only problem. The long wait at the signal with narrow roads has caused traffic snarls everywhere. “Everywhere, signals follow a clockwise pattern; but, here, its criss-crosses, with vehicles backing up on the narrow roads. Shanthi Colony, in particular, is difficult to manage as the signal sometimes skips it to allow buses to go faster,” says Nivethitha M., a resident of Anna Nagar.
Trouble for police
The police say that they are having a hard time regulating the night-time traffic. “It is tough to handle the food trucks and people coming here from across the city at night at weekends. We must also look after parking. The blinker signal is on. A patrol car is stationed. We have put up barricades to prevent rash-driving. However, people need to maintain discipline while driving,” says an officer of the Greater Chennai Traffic Police.
Published - November 10, 2024 10:50 pm IST
