Commuters face hard time near Pattabiram

“Already, the level crossing witnesses traffic snarls during peak hours or whenever the gate is closed for train movement. It has worsened following the traffic diversion from Avadi. Vehicles are pilling up for more than a kilometre. It takes over 30 minutes to cross the junction in both directions,” said Augustine Roy Rozario, general secretary of People’s Voice.

Despite the frequent traffic congestion at the junction, neither the Pattabiram law and order police nor Avadi traffic police have posted any personnel to regulate vehicles near the gate, he said adding that the issue could be resolved only if the state Highways department takes up the construction of road over bridge to replace the existing level-crossing.

He said the work was not progressing due to delay in land acquisition.

“I have written a letter to the Chief secretary seeking his intervention in this regard,” he said. K. Saravanan, a resident of Pattabiram, said even pedestrians find it difficult to cross the road. “Due to heavy movement of traffic, pedestrians are often hit by vehicles at night. Street lights which were removed for road widening are yet to be restored,” he said.

A Highways department official said work on the ROB would be taken up after land acquisition was completed. “The process for acquiring the land has been initiated. Once the land acquisition is completed, the bridge construction work will be taken up,” the official said.