Pedestrian facilities and parking spaces improve in T. Nagar after inauguration of the new South Usman Road flyover

Traffic congestion in T. Nagar reduced on Tuesday after the inauguration of the new flyover in the commercial area.

Pedestrian facilities and parking spaces in the commercial area have improved in the area owing to the inauguration of the flyover. Traffic police permitted motorcycles to park along the stretch of Usman Road from Burkit Road junction to Sarojini Street. Over 200 additional slots for parking motorcycles were opened on Tuesday after the inauguration of the flyover by Chief Minister M.K.Stalin. GCC and Traffic Police have decided to allow only motorcycles in the parking lots while cars will not be allowed to park in the stretch. 

After GCC created wider pedestrian spaces near the junction of Usman Road and Ranganathan Street, congestion reduced in several stretches. “There is more space to walk after the inauguration of the new flyover,” said A. Purushothaman, a resident. “The GCC should prevent encroachments,” he said.

R. Saravanan, who crosses the congested stretch frequently, said the announcement in the previous budget of the Chennai Corporation to link the two flyovers on North Usman Road and South Usman Road is likely to ease traffic congestion.

T. Nagar resident V.S. Jayaraman said: “The buses destined to reach T. Nagar Bus Depot from Saidapet, use the service lane of the flyover. Such buses will have no stops between CIT Nagar and North Usman Road. Similarly, the buses which go through the flyover from North Usman Road will have no stop till CIT Nagar. As a result, the commuters bound for T. Nagar bus stand from either side will have to alight at either of these stops and walk. It is presumed that 47 series buses will use the flyover and, in which case, the commuters will have to depend on share autos from Burkit road to reach the places such as Thanikachalam Road, Pondy Bazaar, Dr Nair Road, Kamarajar illam Vidhyodaya, Valluvar kottam, which are presently covered by the 47 series buses. The congestion on the Burkit Road and Madley Road will remain as buses going out of T.Nagar will use the ramps provided along both sides of the flyover,” he said.

On Tuesday, minor traffic congestion with slower flow of traffic was reported near the ramp towards Anna Salai. Similarly, mild delays without significant disruption of traffic was reported near the ramp towards the North Usman Road flyover. Residents have demanded extension of the North Usman Road flyover by connecting with the South Usman Road, to make the structure extend from 2 km to 5.5 km. During the previous AIADMK regime, former Mayor Saidai Duraisamy had announced the linking of North Usman Road and South Usman Road flyover in the Chennai Corporation Budget 2012-13. But the project was shelved after residents and traders opposed it owing to fear of land acquisition. The residents and traders are likely to support the project now as the GCC has successfully demonstrated that the project could be implemented without land acquisition, by better design of the ramps. Advanced technology could be used to complete the project in six months, officials said.

Residents have also demanded that the GCC and metrowater resolve sewage issues in the area reportedly caused by various infrastructure projects in T. Nagar.