A bright LED hoarding near Southern Railway’s Tirusulam ticket counter complex is causing glare and distraction for motorists on Chennai’s GST Road, prompting the railway authorities to reduce its brightness and traffic police to coordinate on road-safety measures.
The display is located below the flyover, after the Meenambakkam grounds, and faces northbound traffic travelling from Meenambakkam towards Tambaram. Motorists said the screen’s sharp brightness was particularly distracting as vehicles approached a signal. A second LED display about 100 metres away towards the south was described as a comparatively lesser concern.
Jayaram, a street vendor in the area, told The Hindu that a woman and her child recently fell from their vehicle after being distracted by the display. He said they escaped with minor injuries. Motorists have called for the screen’s brightness to be reduced or for the LED display to be replaced with a conventional hoarding.
Southern Railway officials said the hoarding had been approved as per norms. They added, however, that its brightness would be reduced in view of public safety concerns. Traffic police personnel also assured commuters that they would coordinate with the Railways to address road-safety issues along the stretch.
The LED display is one of several problems reported by commuters and motorists on the busy corridor. Near the Pallavaram flyover, close to the Air Force Police headquarters, heavy vehicles frequently make sudden right turns to access the flyover. N. Ganesh, who travels daily between Chromepet and Meenambakkam, said some drivers hesitate before suddenly swerving to take the required direction.
Pedestrians crossing the GST Road to reach Tirusulam Metro Railway station have added to the safety concerns. Several commuters from the eastern side reportedly cross the road despite the presence of a subway, which Metro users said involved a considerable detour. Derek, a regular commuter, suggested that a skywalk or escalator-linked connection between Tirusulam Railway Station and the Metro station would provide safer access.
Further south, motorists have raised concerns about the GST Road-Acharya Thulsi Road, or Pallavaram Market Road, junction. They said the signal becomes difficult to manage during peak hours, when vehicles make U-turns, reverse and cut across the intersection. Bottlenecks also continue on the narrow road after the flyover, while congestion near Saravana Stores, Chromepet Railway Station and Tambaram Sanatorium affects the wider corridor.
The Highways Department is widening a section from the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road flyover towards Pallavaram by removing encroachments. Activists have called for the work to be expedited as traffic increases. They have also sought better coordination between the Highways Department, Southern Railway and Tambaram Corporation to address recurring problems along the route.
As a long-term measure, activists have suggested an elevated corridor towards Chengalpattu via Kilambakkam. The immediate response from Southern Railway is to reduce the LED display’s brightness, while traffic police are expected to coordinate with the Railways on road safety.
