Traffic changes at Kalaimadu Silai roundabout draw motorists’ ire

The enforcement of a traffic signal for vehicles proceeding towards Railway Station Road at the Kalaimadu Silai roundabout has drawn criticism from motorists, who allege that the move has resulted in frequent congestion at the busy junction.

The revised traffic arrangement has been in place for over a month following the creation of a new entry point for vehicles entering the railway station. Earlier, vehicles travelling on the Erode–Palani Main Road could proceed directly onto E.M. Muthukumarasamy Road (Railway Station Road) and continue towards E.V.N. Road or Chennimalai Road, while vehicles bound for Gandhiji Road took a right turn at the roundabout.

Motorists said the introduction of the signal for vehicles proceeding towards Railway Station Road has led to delays, with queues of buses, cars, two-wheelers and heavy vehicles frequently forming at the junction during peak hours.

V. Padhmanabhan, a motorist, said the earlier arrangement allowed vehicles to move smoothly through the roundabout. “Vehicles could proceed towards Railway Station Road without interruption. Now, motorists have to wait for the signal to turn green, leading to delays and congestion,” he said.

Another road user questioned the rationale behind the move, noting that traffic authorities in many places have introduced free-left turns to improve traffic flow. “When efforts are being made elsewhere to ease congestion, enforcing a no-free-left or no-free-straight rule at this junction appears counterproductive,” he said.

V. Subha, another motorist, urged the police to conduct a detailed study of traffic movement at the roundabout and review the present arrangement. “The authorities should assess the vehicle flow pattern before continuing with the current system, which is causing inconvenience to a large number of commuters,” she said.

Motorists contend that allowing uninterrupted movement towards Railway Station Road could help ease congestion at the roundabout.