Skip to main content

Toll gate causes much chaos



The IT Corridor is always bustling with activity round the clock with hundreds of busy commuters heading to work. But here at Egattur in Navalur, it is a major setback.
The Navalur Toll Gate is a small, cramped toll gate located in the OMR stretch, bearing too much of a burden especially during its peak hours. The toll gate resembles a huge stampede that seems to have no resolve. 


The peak hours see the toll gate suffocating amidst hundreds of vehicles, all stuck in a long wait which usually lasts 15 minutes or so, or even worse, stretches to half an hour. Troubled residents and commuters frown at the sight of the daunting crowd they have come to witness every day. The fact that the extreme left lane of the toll gate is closed due to the lack of personnel and booths contributes to the daily chaotic jam. 


 “The tremendous jam blocks the way out to the residents of few apartments where more than 2000 
families reside. It costs us a huge chunk of our time in the morning and we end up spending half an 
hour at the toll gate”, says a resident of TVH Taus, an apartment that directly links the toll gate. “It is 
also proving to be quite a nuisance as they often shut down one of the four booths. A mere three 
functioning booths for 200+ vehicles only causes more ruckus”, she adds. 


 Pouring fuel to the fire is the newly-opened The Marina Mall, increasing the traffic triple-fold during the weekends.    


Every journey of these residents turns out to be a bumpy ride, with too many potholes scattered in the streets that link the toll gate. Moreover, they often find construction debris lying in the potholes, causing damage to their vehicles. The damaged broken roof of the toll gate hanging above the vehicles has also become a common sight now for the past few months.  

 In recent years, the dangerously high congestion has even resulted in several accidents the lives of these commuters are at stake. Recently, a senior citizen was almost run over by a van amid traffic and several vehicles were damaged by debris or other commuters in separate incidents. It particularly poses a threat to two-wheeler riders, as the commuters and their two-wheelers stand a higher chance of injury or damage. 


Traffic has been overflowing day by day uncontrollably. The Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has promised to look into it and take action.



 *Written for The Hindu*

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Splendid Sisters! 👧👧

Hi guys! The person who embraced my successes and adversities, the one who always gave me a quick tickle and who made me realize the purpose of life is whom I want to share about today. Dear reader, if you are an elder brother/sister to a younger sister, you should consider reading this. Most elder siblings resent their younger sisters due to their drama-queen attitude. That does happen, a sister can be a brat sometimes. But, you know what? They can be heavenly blessings. They are cherubic sweet little angels, ready to bless your day and mine with a captivating smile (and no sister can be as sweet as mine, I bet!) who are ready to sacrifice anything for the defence of yours. Even if they have to take the second pick, they (almost) never protest. My sister is no less. She is classy, cool, carefree, hardworking, ideal and witty, the perfect figure of the today's independent modern woman's characteristics. She has an unbelievable ability - she can maintain size zero with...
4 comments
Read more

A Letter to Thatha

The little specks of pearl in the sky Glowing and fuming, With the vapours of our memories.  In my swollen, glistening eyes, I saw the flare of your pyre in the stars, Like a spangle caught in my tears, The light of our love stretches its arms. I never knew a pain greater,  When my fingertips caressed your cold, grey folds of skin I never knew I could feel so broken inside, With scalding memories and a heart wanting justice. With last words untold, goodbyes unsaid. I never thought the day would come,  When I came home to your warm smile and open arms, But would instead be greeted by your empty chair. I never thought I would shudder and hide at your sight, Until you lay in the icy coffin like a child, Oblivious to our cries and wails. I never knew I would so badly yearn, To hear you call me one more time. I watched you become a child again. I never minded your faltering memory, Your greying eyes that often stared out in the open, I was content, With your pupils carrying a ...
1 comment
Read more

On New Revelations : My COVID-19 Story

The past couple of months have been a roller coaster ride. Several things had come tumbling down for me all at once - a nervous breakdown, the death of a very dear loved one, and now, testing positive for COVID-19.   How it has been   Day 1 was not by any means forgiving: I almost collapsed the moment I got out of bed, with fever, chills, severe dizziness and a flashing headache. The virus had caught me off guard and already begun wrecking my body. I remember feeling optimistic at first, that this was just exhaustion was taking a toll on me (for the previous week I had been working long hours) then slightly apprehensive as my brother tested positive the very next day.  I remember making a casual joke on testing positive right before taking my test. But then, two days later, I found myself going to bed with racing thoughts and mixed feelings - I had just received my results. That night was probably among the most anxious I've spent in my life. The first few days were the r...
Post a Comment
Read more