With the Corporation constructing a median there, School Road in Mogappair will now be safer for pedestrians and motorists. On an average, at least 20,000 pedestrians cross the School Road–Sixth Avenue Road junction every day, resulting in traffic chaos, especially during morning and evening hours. The area is lined with educational institutions. The traffic problem became severe in November, 2011 when J.N. Road between Padi flyover and Thirumangalam Junction was converted into a one-way stretch to facilitate the construction of a flyover at the Thirumangalam Junction.
Since then, residents of School Road and neighbouring areas have been taking the congested 18th and 13th Main Road to reach Sixth Avenue. “The new footover bridge on School Road is meant to provide safe passage for users to cross J.N. Road.”
Accidents have become frequent on School Road due to over-speeding and a lack of lane discipline.
“The median on School lice checkpoint on the stretch, motorists would drive at high speed. They would over-speed once they crossed the checkpoint,” said K. Vasudevan, a resident in Anna Nagar.
The stretch is an important link between West and East Anna Nagar connecting several posh neighbourhoods. Further motorists from Padi, Mannurpet, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Nolambur, Mogappair and J.J Nagar use the stretch to reach Anna Nagar, Chinthamani, Kilpauk and Aminjikarai skipping the chaotic traffic on Poonamallee High (PH) Road.
“The median is a welcome measure as it helps regulate the traffic on the busy stretch. Earlier, despite the presence of a police checkpoint on the stretch, motorists would drive at high speed. They would over-speed once they crossed the checkpoint,” said K. Vasudevan, a resident in Anna Nagar.
