Chennai city authorities have unveiled a comprehensive traffic de-congestion strategy aimed at handling the heavy vehicular influx expected during the upcoming festival season. With traditional celebrations like Pongal and other public holidays on the horizon, officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and traffic police have laid out a multi-pronged plan to manage peak-hour gridlock and ensure smoother travel for commuters.
The plan focuses on advanced road diversions, curbs on heavy vehicles during peak times, and systematic deployment of traffic personnel along major thoroughfares such as GST Road, Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), and East Coast Road (ECR). Heavy vehicles are restricted on key routes during designated hours, and alternate paths have been designated to divert freight traffic away from congested city arteries. These steps mirror similar festival-time traffic arrangements seen in recent seasons when authorities rerouted vehicles and arranged special local train and bus services to ease the rush.
Authorities are also urging commuters to plan travel timings in advance, use public transport options like special buses and trains where feasible, and avoid major exit and entry points during peak hours to reduce bottlenecks. While specific dates and enforcement windows will be shared via official channels, the early launch of this de-congestion blueprint reflects the administration’s proactive stance on urban mobility challenges during festive periods. News as reported
