Motorists flout one-way rule, add to residents’ problems

The one-way traffic is something that people usually ignore with impunity, their indifference to rules being a primary cause of major traffic congestion. Sources say around 1,200 stretches in the downtown have been converted into one-way roads to reduce traffic congestion on arterial roads. 

But many intentionally flout the rules and enter the one-way roads from the ‘No Entry’ side to avoid using the more circuitous route, which results in chaos. 

The local people are the worst affected by such gross violations. “Whenever there is a traffic pile-up, all the vehicles start pressing down on their horns, which is a big nuisance for residents,” says A Selva Kumar, a resident of Karambakkam. 

He points out that the traffic flow is sometimes so relentless that residents are unable to cross the road. He suggests that the government forms a mechanism whereby heavy vehicles, particularly lorries and MTC buses are barred from using one-way streets. 

B Kalaivanan, a trader on Duraisamy road near West Mambalam, says despite the presence of one-way signboards, motorists enter the stretches from the wrong side intentionally. 

“They go scot free because of the absence of traffic police,” he says. K Raj Mohan, a road safety activist, demands that traffic police be posted on ‘No Entry’ zones to monitor vehicular movements and apprehend the offenders. 

A senior police official (Traffic) maintains that motorists should be held equally responsible for such violations. 

“They should notice the signboards, obey the rules. After all, one-way stretches were intended to help them and needs cooperation from them,” he says.