Commuters traveling from South Usman Road via CIT Nagar to Nandanam face a 10-minute ordeal daily during peak hours at a chaotic intersection under the T Nagar steel flyover. The junction of South West Boag Road sees vehicles—buses, autorickshaws, and motorists—converging from all sides, creating a dangerous spot for both motorists and pedestrians.
Peak hour chaos and recent accidents
“The problem is worse after 7pm when several people use this stretch to get onto Anna Salai. Recently, a man fell off his scooter when a car hit him, resulting in a scuffle for more than 20 minutes,” said V Sharan, who works at a tailor shop near the junction. Shopkeepers and residents say the issues can be rectified if a traffic signal is installed, as the intersection sees vehicles coming from four directions: South Usman Road, SW Boag Road, New Boag Road, and CIT 1st Main Road.
Defunct signals add to danger
Currently, three signals exist in the area—two on the stretch toward Nandanam and one on the opposite side. However, none were working when TOI visited multiple times in the past week. “The signals have been defunct for years, barring select times on random days. This causes vehicles, especially two-wheelers, to move about haphazardly. People are unable to cross the road. Buses stop here for several minutes,” said Nisar, who runs an eatery on the stretch. Residents also flagged the lack of a bus stand near the Housing Board office, further down the stretch, which adds to traffic. “The road is already narrow due to the flyover. To make matters worse, buses stop right on the middle of the road, adding to severe congestion,” Nisar added.
Official response and next steps
Traffic enforcement officials were unavailable for comment. Traffic inspector (investigation) B Rithish said steps would be taken to prevent accidents at the spot and that the grievances would be conveyed to the enforcement wing.
