Every year, the Deepavali shopping season exposes traffic congestion and parking problems at T. Nagar, a commercial hub of Chennai. These issues have been aggravated this year by the ongoing Metro Rail and flyover construction, despite the fact that the number of shoppers is less than the previous years. At peak hours, traffic is chaotic at T. Nagar because of heavy crowds, the implementation of the infrastructure projects, and diversions. The construction of the Usman Road flyover and the Metro Rail line on Venkatanarayana Road causes congestion. The narrow lanes in the area make it difficult for shoppers.
From May, T. Nagar had to brace for big traffic diversions as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) closed the Usman Road flyover. It also started demolishing 120 metres of the down-ramp of the flyover in order to connect it to the flyover under construction, which connects to Anna Salai. So, a portion of Usman Road is cut off. Vehicles from North Usman Road have to take a circuitous route to the T. Nagar bus stand and those from Saidapet through South Usman Road are diverted towards Burkit Road. A narrow path on North Usman Road from the bus stand is packed with people who move in a single file towards Ranganathan Street or Sathya Bazaar. S. Jayalakshmi, a resident of Taramani, says, “I have been visiting T. Nagar several years for Deepavali shopping. This year, I find it difficult to enter Ranganathan Street because the road is closed and the flyover construction is under way.”
A tough task
“Walking with your family on the narrow Usman Road in a surging crowd is a tough task. One needs more patience. Moreover, the car park has been taken over for the Metro Rail work. Where would shoppers park their vehicles? Though the authorities have arranged temporary parking lots at schools and on G.N. Chetty Road and there is a multi-level car park at the Thanikachalam Road junction, they are far and inadequate. After leaving your car on Thanikachalam Road, how long can we walk to reach Usman Road? It is a difficult task,” says Srinath of Velachery.
Parking of autorickshaws and share-autorickshaws on the roadsides is another problem. Near the T. Nagar bus stand, they block the movement of buses entering the bus stand and the traffic on the narrow Burkit Road or Dhandapani Road.
The residents of streets near the shopping areas are severely inconvenienced during the Deepavali season as the shoppers leave their cars in front of their homes. Many residents say they are unable to go out in case of emergency.
Houses blocked
A resident of Mangesh Street says, “Two days ago, I was planning to visit my sister to give her family Deepavali gifts. I came out with my family to take my car. But somebody parked the car in front of our house and left. I was not able to take the car out for four hours until the owner of the car came and drove away.”
Mohan Ranganathan, a resident of Rangan Street, says, “It is very difficult to enter our street in our vehicles or move out since huge crowds turn up for shopping. Restrictions are in place. This year, the portion of the Usman Road was blocked as the flyover was demolished. The policemen often deny us entry to our own street. Sometimes, we have to produce Aadhaar or other identity cards.”
“Rameswaram Road, a narrow lane connecting Usman Road to Ranganathan Street, has further shrunk with the construction of a storm water drain. If a goods carrier takes the road, it will be blocked entirely,” says Mr. Mohan.
B. Kannan, secretary, T. Nagar Residential Welfare Association, says, “This time, we are facing the worst situation owing to poor planning. Before starting the overbridge construction, they should have removed the platform shops. Now, there is no space for pedestrians. We fight every time to bring our vehicles into our houses. In case of emergency, no fire tenders can come in and residents cannot call up ambulances.”
Residents face the similar plight on Natesan Street, Ramanathan Street, Rangan Street, Mangesh Street, Rameswaram Road, Duraiswamy Road or Mahalakshmi Street, Motilal Street, Ramasamy Street, Sarojini Street, Venkatesan Street, and Pinjala Subramanian Street. And street-vendors occupy the pedestrian pathway, which is narrow on Usman Road. Shops take over the space in front of their establishments for their customers to park vehicles.
The Greater Chennai Police and the Greater Chennai Traffic Police have made arrangements for the shoppers. A senior police officer says, “In view of Deepavali, more people are expected to visit T. Nagar and Pondy Bazaar. To ensure free flow of traffic, we have created special parking places at T. Nagar and on Usman Road. We have taken measures to manage traffic, including by allowing parking on the flyover which is closed. The flyover accommodates up to 80 cars and 1,000 bikes a day.”
Temporary watchtowers and police control rooms have been established in the shopping areas. Along with traffic police personnel, marshals manage the traffic. Autorickshaws are restricted at the Thyagaraya Road-Thanikachalam Road junction and Brindavan Road Junction, and on North Usman Road and Maharajapuram Santhanam Salai. Goods vehicles cannot enter T. Nagar during the day; they are allowed only from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Special parking lots have been created at the Corporation School on Prakasam Road, Sri Ramakrishna Main School, and Sri Ramakrishna School (South) on Dhandapani Street. These are in addition to the Corporation’s paid parking lots on Thyagaraya Road, G.N Chetty Road, and Thanikachalam Road, the police officer says.
However, traders and shopkeepers say the number of shoppers has dwindled from the previous years. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti points out, “We feel the footfall is less than the previous year. We could not understand the reason. We don’t know if we would have 80% sales this year. My suppliers say the Deepavali business is not as it was in the past. Youngsters are buying online since they think they would have to spend a half-day visiting the shops here.”
“Traffic diversions could also be the other reason. Our counterparts in other cities say that their business too has come down from the previous year. We can’t say that the traffic restrictions are the only reason,” he argues.
Published – October 30, 2024 12:07 am IST
