Severe traffic congestion on the Chennai–Tiruchy National Highway has left thousands of motorists and passengers stranded as school holidays, weekend travel, election campaigning and flyover construction converge across stretches of Chengalpet district, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle – South.
Quarterly examination holidays began on Friday and will continue until October 4, prompting families from Chennai and its suburbs to travel to their native places. The increase in holiday traffic has coincided with campaign-related movement for the Madurantakam Assembly by-election, scheduled for October 6.
Vehicles carrying political party functionaries and supporters from different parts of Tamil Nadu have been travelling towards Madurantakam, adding to the volume on the highway. The traffic pressure has been compounded by ongoing flyover construction at three locations in Chengalpet district: Madurantakam, Pukkathurai and Padalam.
Traffic has been reported as slow-moving across Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram, Vandalur, Urapakkam, Guduvanchery and Singaperumal Koil. The most severe congestion has been reported around Padalam, Karunguzhi, Melavalampettai and Madurantakam, where vehicle queues have extended for nearly four kilometres at some stretches.
The congestion has also lasted through the afternoon, unlike the pattern commonly seen during earlier holiday and festival periods, when traffic on the Chennai–Tiruchy highway was generally heavier during the morning, evening and night. With daytime temperatures remaining high, passengers stuck inside vehicles have faced additional discomfort as traffic moved slowly.
Motorists have attributed part of the difficulty to what they described as inadequate traffic police deployment. During festival periods and other anticipated traffic surges, additional personnel are usually deployed and diversions are introduced at key points. In the current situation, however, election-related security duties in the Madurantakam constituency appear to have coincided with the traffic surge, leaving fewer personnel available for highway regulation, the report said.
The congestion highlights the operational challenge of managing a predictable travel peak while major roadworks and election-related movement are taking place on the same corridor. The affected locations include both urbanising areas on Chennai’s southern edge and highway sections serving inter-city traffic, increasing the number of local and through vehicles competing for limited road space.
Residents and motorists have urged the police to deploy additional personnel along the affected stretches and introduce immediate traffic-management measures. Their requests include stronger regulation at the worst-hit junctions and steps to keep vehicles moving through the construction zones during the continuing holiday and campaign period.
