To ease congestion near schools, the Greater Chennai Corporation and Chennai Traffic Police have planned to implement one-way traffic arrangement near schools where there has been a rise in congestion. The new traffic arrangements are likely to be in place shortly. 

After schools reopened early this month, the Traffic Police has advised schools to prepare for one way traffic arrangements in stretches with a rise in traffic congestion. Schools have started holding discussions with parents regarding the proposed one-way traffic arrangements in such congested neighbourhoods.

The new safety barricades erected by Chennai Corporation along pedestrian infrastructure near schools and colleges in many roads this month was leading to more congestion, the parents told school managements. As a result of work on barricading footpaths near schools, parents complained that they do not have adequate space for parking near schools, while they have to wait for a few minutes to ensure that their child has safely reached kindergarten and primary sections.

During the last academic year, traffic police used to permit parking in the wide footpaths constructed by GCC near schools for kindergarten and primary sections. As a number of schools denied parking space for parents on the premises, the wide footpaths of GCC near schools were used to park vehicles last year. However, the GCC has barricaded the footpaths this year, to improve safety of students.

Meanwhile, the councillors are planning to discuss the issue of traffic congestion near schools in the next Corporation Council meeting scheduled this week. Egmore councillor Fatima Ahmed Muzaffer said residents have complained about traffic congestion in stretches such as Casa Major Road and Ethiraj Salai owing to the rising number of vehicles visiting educational institutions.

“Traffic congestion has increased because of twelve schools and colleges in my ward. Residents want a solution, protecting the pedestrians in each neighbourhood. GCC officials should discuss with traffic police to resolve the traffic issues, with data about traffic collected in real time from the Integrated Command and Control Centre of Chennai Corporation,” she said.

Former councillor S.Mangala Raj said residents have demanded one way traffic for Kutchery Road and PV Koil Street to prevent traffic congestion caused by schools in Santhome High Road and the roads in the vicinity. “Vehicles cover 100 feet in 15 minutes in the stretch during traffic congestion in the morning. GCC should remove encroachments and widen Bazaar Road which has reduced from 25 feet to 12 feet. The entire stretch of Bazaar Road and PV Koil Street from Kutchery Road to Citi Centre should become one way for traffic movement,” he said.

Ward 99 councillor Parithi Elamsurithi said new traffic arrangements for students of Kerala Vidyalaya on EVR Periyar First Lane need to be implemented for safety of school children who walk home, crossing EVR Periyar Salai. Many roads such as Dr.Alagappa Road already have one way traffic arrangements to ease traffic congestion near schools, he said.