Diversions an ordeal for road users

CHENNAI: For people having their offices located on the Guindy-Porur-Poonamalee stretch, going to work was an ordeal on Thursday. The city traffic police had put in place diversions on account of the movement of VIPs to and from Chennai Trade Centre, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas venue. This resulted in piling up of vehicles at several points.
Traffic remained blocked for more than an hour on several of the roads around the venue.With the area being placed under high-level monitoring, traffic was blocked from 7 am till 12:30 pm and vehicles were allowed only after the Prime Minister's convoy passed through.
Many reached their work place late, resulting in pay cuts or leaves. Amudha Senthilkumar, working in an e-publishing firm at Valasaravakkam said, "I left my house at Chrompet at 9.30 am, but reached my office only after noon. I travel by MTC bus. With all the diversions, the bus took some routes I have never seen before. The bus was stuck in a jam near Kundrathur for more than an hour." She added, "Even though I understand the need for the tight security arrangements, better planning of commuter transport would have definitely helped." An employee of the Larsen and Toubro, which has its office on the Butt Road, said that after being stuck in traffic for over an hour and a half, he returned home.
With Thursday being a government holiday, the number of traffic hold-ups was considerably less and after the Prime Minister's convoy passed through, there was no congestion reported in any part of the suburbs.
Share-auto drivers who ply on the stretch from Guindy to Poonamalee alleged that police have asked them to stay away from the area till the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas gets over on Friday. M Chandran, a share-auto driver said, "There are over 120 share-autos here and many people prefer our vehicles to buses. We have to go without any earnings for three days."
sibi.arasu@timesgroup.com