Chennai: A breezy five-minute drive has become a daily test of patience on Nelson Manickam Road, where motorists often spend 25 to 30 minutes crawling along the 2.1-km stretch between Ampa Skyone Mall and Loyola College. They blame the congestion on poor traffic management, encroachments and roadside activities.The busy corridor branches off Poonamallee High Road and connects key destinations such as Nungambakkam, Valluvar Kottam and T Nagar. Lined with shopping complexes, schools, colleges and hospitals, it is one of the city’s busiest roads. However, a TOI visit found that three major issues — unregulated U-turns, encroachments and activities around a TASMAC outlet — have worsened traffic movement on the stretch.The road carries at least 1,000 vehicles every hour during peak periods, but traffic personnel are hardly seen at the busy junctions between 8am and 10am to regulate vehicle movement. The most significant problem is the presence of four U-turns. While the signal at Choolaimedu junction is operational, the signal near the Shobhan Babu statue has remained defunct for more than a year.The four U-turns — located beneath the Anna Arch flyover, near MGM Healthcare, near the Shoban Babu statue and near the foot overbridge near Nungambakkam railway station — remain largely unregulated during peak hours. Vehicles entering from interior roads further slow traffic as they struggle to merge with the main carriageway. Cars and two-wheelers are often parked along the roadside for hours, narrowing the carriageway, while share autos and autos waiting for passengers, occupy portions of the road.Congestion turns worse in the evenings, especially near a TASMAC outlet located about 200 metres from the Choolaimedu junction. Hundreds of customers gather outside the shop after 6 pm, with crowds often spilling onto the road. Some people also occupy the pavements, leaving little space for pedestrians.M Kamalesh, a resident of Aminjikarai, said, “The only way to avoid traffic is to leave early. Near MGM Healthcare, vehicles enter the four-way junction without indicators or any order. I met with an accident there last week and injured my leg.” He also said that the poor condition of the Nungambakkam subway, with damaged patches and potholes, frequently causes two-wheelers to skid.K Naveen, urban planner, said, “Nelson Manickam Road has evolved into an important east-west connector, but the existing carriageway is no longer adequate to handle the traffic volume. In the long term, officials should study the feasibility of an elevated corridor or grade-separated flyover for through traffic, or build a similar steel flyover like the one in T Nagar, while reserving the surface road for local access. Such a solution, combined with better junction management and pedestrian infrastructure, can improve traffic flow.”Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner G S Sameeran said the civic body has been conducting regular encroachment removal drives. “The corporation, along with the Greater Chennai Traffic Police, will conduct a study to regulate the U-turns and reduce congestion on the road. If required, options including road widening will also be examined,” he said.Despite repeated attempts, Greater Chennai traffic police officials were unavailable for comment.
