Thiruvananthapuram: Traffic anarchy prevailed at the busy intersection at Pattom in the morning with the traffic police switching on the traffic signals only by 8 am. It is free for all there till then with three schools functioning nearby and ambulances criss-crossing the Pattom signal, leaving pedestrians and motorists high and dry.
The roads towards the medical college, Kesavadas-apuram, Kowdiar and Plamood go through the Pattom intersection which is a stone’s throw from the Pattom traffic police station. The morning shift at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, where 2,400 students study in the first shift, starts at 7 am. The majority of students reach KV Pattom by school buses, tempo travellers and a majority are dropped by parents at the entrance.
Mr S. Ajayakumar, principal, KV Pattom, told DC that he will send a letter to the traffic police officials requesting to switch on the traffic signals by 6.30 am.
“Only today our PTA president told me that there is traffic disruption before our school. Every day, our security personnel have a hard time ensuring the students’ smooth entry to the school,” he said.
The Vellayambalam signal functions at 7.30 am, when the majority of the traffic signals in the city are not switched on. There is chaos at PMG Junction as well. But the major hardship is at Pattom intersection. City traffic police (north) ACP S. Anilkumar told DC that usually the traffic signals are switched on at 8 am when their duty starts. “There is less traffic at 7 am at Pattom Junction. I will take up this issue with the city police commissioner and initiate app-ropriate action,” he said.
But the traffic police’s claim is not true as per KV Pattom principal. The neighbouring Arya Central School functions from 8.20 am when the traffic signals are switched on. Nearly 3,000 students are studying at Arya Central School and to ease the traffic, they have ensured that the nursery students, first standard, and second standard upwards leave at 3.30 pm, 2.45 pm and 3 pm respectively.
A commuter to Pattom, S. Saranya, a resident of Kadakkal, said that the Pattom traffic lights are switched off during morning rush hours delaying the smooth flow of vehicles.
“I reach the office late on most days because when the KSRTC bus reaches Kesavadasapuram, there is a long queue to reach Pattom. Vehicular movement is affected as the Pattom traffic signal will be switched off. The delay can be avoided by switching on the signals,” said Saranya, who works as a physiotherapist.
