The Hindu : ROB demanded near Vysarpadi subway

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 05, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

ROB demanded near Vysarpadi subway

By K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI May 4 . With the increase in heavy-duty vehicular traffic especially after the opening of the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, the long-pending demand for a road overbridge on Calcutta Trunk Road, to ease congestion during peak hours, has gained urgency.

"For nearly 20 years now, we have been demanding that an ROB be constructed, to ease the traffic congestion near Vysarpadi subway on the road, which serves as an important link between south and north India," residents complain. They point out that the increase in the number of heavy vehicles in the area, combined with the non-existence of a proper path for pedestrians, led to a number of fatal accidents.

Bad road conditions force the vehicles to negotiate a rough terrain, causing frequent traffic jams. ``Motorists have to wait for at least an hour during peak hours, especially whenever heavy vehicles pass through the narrow subway." Residents claim they had to fill the craters on the road with gravel and mud.

Another problem is the low height of the railway track over the Vyasarpadi subway. "This worsens the situation. With lorries and containers passing this way, it slows down traffic and leads to several mishaps," according to one of the residents, Gayathri.

To avoid this traffic bottleneck from Erukkancheri High Road to Calcutta Trunk Road, vehicles have to take two other routes near the Vyasarpadi Jeeva and Perambur railway stations, she said.

When contacted, Railway officials said the project was under consideration and work would commence in two or three months.

The North Chennai Citizens' Forum president, Y. Antony Rajarajan, said the residents wanted the construction work to commence before monsoon. The subway was inundated with nearly waist deep water during the rainy season, especially last year, when residents were forced to use fish-carts to navigate the stretch.

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