The signal below the IIT flyover has been removedexcept for 20 seconds of pedestrian crossing every two minutes
Assistant commissioner of police (traffic) A Julius Christopher said the new arrangement had been introduced on a trial basis.
Commuters said the removal of the signal had made a noticeable difference. “With the signal gone, vehicles are no longer blocking each other and I can proceed without much delay,” said Giridharan, who regularly travels towards Guindy. Preethi, a motorist from Taramani, said police should ensure that the IIT-M flyover continues to operate strictly as a one-way stretch for vehicles heading towards Madhya Kailash from the Raj Bhavan direction. Frequent and unannounced changes between one-way and two-way movement could confuse motorists and bring back congestion, she said. Several motorists said the changes were helping them save fuel and travel time and cross the junction with less frustration. many felt the extra distance was preferable to being stuck at the junction for several minutes While some motorists from Kotturpuram said the new system required them to take a detour via the U-turn beneath the Madhya Kailash flyover to reach Raj Bhavan. “We will make it permanent if we receive positive feedback from motorists,” he said.
The changes were implemented by Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) based on a traffic management solution suggested by film actor-director Suresh Menon, whose ideas of replacing signals with U-turns have been adopted at several locations across the city.