Key junctions on Anna Salai closed

Heightened traffic movement on arterial road led to step, say police

24/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

No entry: Barricades placed on the Gemini flyover, to curtail vehicular traffic, on Thursday. K. V. Srinivasan

A major stretch of the arterial Anna Salai in Chennai was closed for traffic on Thursday.

The decision to seal key junctions on Anna Salai by placing barricades was taken after the number of vehicles entering the road increased in the last two days.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, A. Arun told The Hindu, “We effected diversions on Anna Salai as there was higher traffic movement. In the lockdown period, people are not supposed to venture out on roads. Only the essential services and people who have movement passes can move on the roads. We saw a lot of unnecessary movements and so we decided to control those movements. We are not completely closing the road but giving an alternate way to reach their destination. The new measure will be in place daily until the end of the lockdown period.” Mr. Arun said, “Our main focus so far is only Anna Salai. We are going to assess the situation in other areas as well for effecting similar arrangement.”

Ever since the city police promulgated prohibitory orders restricting movement of people and prohibiting unlawful assembly, traffic police personnel along with law and order police personnel installed iron barricades at several points to check vehicles and allowed only pass holders, who were providing essential services.

From noon on Thursday, the long stretch of Anna Salai was closed, including Little Mount Junction, Nandanam Signal, Teynampet Signal, Vijayaragava road junction, Anna Flyover and Spencer’s Plaza. No vehicle was allowed to enter into the road and police personnel refused to remove the barricades for entry of pass holders as well. Along many stretches, even motorists who had relevant passes were not allowed and had to take a detour. A motorist who tried to reach Anna Salai from T.Nagar said the road leading to Spencer’s Plaza was blocked. “I had to go around under the flyover and on instruction from a policeman posted there I took a detour via Catheral Road, Music Academy and General Paterson Road in Royappettah. At the GP Road-Anna Salai junction, I was denied entry by police.”

Caught unawares

“The sudden diversion led to confusion and we had to take detours to reach our destination. At many junctions, motorists were stranded and gathered in large numbers requesting police personnel to allow them through,” another motorist from Velachery said. Police officials said only ambulances and essential service vehicles were allowed.