Omjasvin MD By Express News Service CHENNAI: At 8 pm, every night, numerous vehicles get stuck in traffic for at least 45 minutes while they make their way towards Basin Bridge Junction from Wall Tax Road and Basin Bridge. To avoid this scenario, Basin Bridge Junction was made one-way just two months ago. However, the traffic diversion has caused further difficulty to commuters. Since Basin Bridge Junction was made one way, the vehicles from Wall Tax Road could not go directly to the Cochrane Basin (CB) Road to reach Korukkupet. Also, all vehicles from Mint, heading to the Basin Bridge have to take a longer route, entering Wall Tax Road and again join the Junction.Every day at least one lakh vehicles pass through the Basin Bridge Junction. This diversion has increased the vehicular density, especially after 6 pm, in the stretch between Moolakothalam and Basin Bridge Junction. “Most vehicles in the junction only take ‘left’ to the Basin Bridge, but since it has been made one-way, all the vehicles ply on both sides of the road. People who want to take ‘right’ to the Basin Bridge Road now have to wait longer,” says Devarajan R, a two-wheeler rider. The diversion has not just made waiting time longer, but has made access to important locations like the Corporation building difficult. “As the junction is closed and the Basin Bridge Road is made one-way, people coming from Wall Tax Road cannot visit the Corporation building,” says Devarajan. He goes on to add that the purpose of CB Road is to avoid the Korukkupet railway checkpost, but now commuters have to go to Pencil Factory and come to Korukkupet or take a ‘U’ turn on Basin Bridge to enter CB Road. “Either way, it takes an additional two km and at least a 20-minute delay,” he says. Dry fish vendors face heat Kalil Basha, a dry fish vendor in the Moolakothalam fish market, says when the Wall Tax Road was two-way, there was not much traffic as buyers could park their bikes and buy fish. ‘‘Since it is one-way now, tankers and buses ply near the shops, depriving customers of even two minutes to park their bikes to buy fish,’’ he says, adding that it is impossible in the evenings for people to shop. Traffic police officials say that Basin Bridge Junction was made one-way was as a temporary measure to curb congestion. ‘‘It is difficult for ambulances reaching Stanley Hospital and RSRM to pass through the junction as mostly heavy motor vehicles get stuck in the junction,’’ says a senior traffic police official. The official adds that only when the re-construction of Elephant Gate Bridge is over will the traffic ease and there will be a permanent solution. “When the Elephant Gate Bridge is open for heavy motor vehicles again, the number of vehicles from Pulianthope High Road taking the Basin Bridge would start plying on that bridge,” says the official, adding that this way the vehicular traffic would be even. Similar problems The story is no different for commuters coming from the Basin Bridge, heading to Wall Tax Road. They have to go till the Mint tower, take a ‘U’ turn at the North Wall Road, left in Padavattamman Koil Street, and reach Wall Tax Road.

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