CHENNAI: Motorists coming from TIDEL Park can now reach Adyar quicker than earlier, as city traffic police have allowed them to turn right at the busy Madhya Kailash junction. The restoration of right turn has happened nearly a decade after it was stopped.
Assistant commissioner of police (traffic) C Sridhar said: “On an average, every day, at least five to 10 ambulances are using this stretch from Voluntary Health Services (VHS) hospital and other hospitals heading to the Government Royapettah Hospital and other corporate hospitals. Both the ambulance drivers and the family members of the patients are conveying their happiness to us for opening this stretch.”
“We have modified the timer at the traffic signal to remain green for about 30 seconds, allowing vehicles to proceed from Old Mamallapuram Road (OMR) to Adyar on Sardar Patel Road,” a traffic police officer told TOI. The arrangement has brought cheer to motorists in general, and residents of Kaanagam and Kalikundram neighbourhoods in Taramani in particular.
“The present arrangement will be made permanent from coming week onwards,” said traffic enforcement police inspector Karunakaran.
Due to the closure, members of households numbering several thousands sandwiched between IIT-Madras campus and OMR had been forced to go up to IIT-M gate and take U-turn under the mini-flyover on Sardar Patel Road, all these years, said E Panneerselvam, an activist.
The right-turn relief has come after traffic enforcement personnel conducted a trial for about a week during non-peak hours. The peak hours for the stretch are from 8am to 11am and 4pm to 8pm during weekdays.
Many IT company cab drivers also expressed their happiness about the permission to take right turn at Madhya Kailash junction, saying earlier they had to take a right turn at the Indira Nagar traffic signal and proceed further to merge on the traffic towards Thiruvanmiyur and Adyar.