Lack of traffic signal at MGR roundabout causing snarls

Navigating past the MGR roundabout near Lawsons Road has been a herculean task for any motorist in the city. The lack of road sense on the part of motorists at the circular intersection has been causing frequent traffic congestion.
Though speed breakers have been placed on three of the four roads intersecting at MGR roundabout, the absence of traffic signal to regulate vehicular movement is causing bottlenecks.
In November 2016, the city traffic police mooted a plan to install nano traffic signals at the roundabout. The nano signal would be equipped with an LED screen to display signal light as well as direction. However, owing to difficulties in implementing the signal, the project was delayed.
As the MGR roundabout serves as the arterial junction connecting the government hospital with the southern part of the city and commercial streets like Thillai Nagar, traffic snarls is routine at the roundabout close to Uyyakondan bridge on Bharathidasan Salai.
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"Without our presence, drivers without patience would compete with each to enter the roundabout and take the exit leading to their destination. The roundabout is so big in size that it demands at least three traffic police personnel to regulate vehicular flow," a traffic constable told TOI.
As the route, particularly between Cantonment and GH witness maximum movement of ambulances, the congestion caused by non-cooperative drivers at the roundabout affects the golden hour for patients. "If we need to establish a traffic signal at the MGR roundabout, we have to bring down the diameter of MGR roundabout's outer circle," said M Sekaran, road safety council member.
In a field trial done by the traffic police here, the stretch connecting Lawsons road with Anna Nagar link road was set with 50sec green light while the stretch connecting Anna Nagar link road with Lawsons road was given 30sec duration. Similarly, the stretch from Lawsons road to Bharathidasan Road (towards GH) and Anna Nagar link road to Bharathidasan Salai (towards court) were suggested with free left option.
Officials sources claimed that constraints in providing facilities for free left when approaching from Bharathidasan Salai via district court has been hindering the project. However, traffic signals were installed at Puthur which has considerably brought down congestion in the vicinity.

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