Fri May 16 15:39:12 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Prakasam Salai, a commercial hub in George Town, North Chennai, faces severe traffic congestion due to encroachments, narrow roads, parked vehicles, and the poor condition of the road. Pedestrians suffer due to the lack of footpaths, and bus commuters face long delays. Heavy vehicles further exacerbate the problem. While traffic police are deployed, and encroachment removal drives have been conducted, hawkers keep returning due to livelihood issues, refusing to relocate to designated vending zones.
**News Article:**
**Traffic Chaos Cripples Prakasam Salai in Chennai’s George Town**
**CHENNAI, May 16, 2025** – Commuters in Chennai’s George Town area are facing daily gridlock on Prakasam Salai, formerly known as Popham Broadway, a crucial commercial artery connecting NSC Bose Road to the Mint junction. The road is plagued by severe traffic congestion due to a combination of factors, including encroachments, a narrow road width, parked vehicles, and ongoing civic works.
Locals report that the road has gradually become narrower due to illegal encroachments, leading to constant bottlenecks. Pedestrians are forced to navigate a hazardous landscape, with footpaths either nonexistent or occupied by parked vehicles.
“It’s chaotic at any time of day,” said T. Kamala Kannan, a resident of Tondiarpet. “Vehicles constantly blocking the road to make turns, causing long queues. Heavy vehicles making deliveries often bring traffic to a standstill.”
The poor condition of the road, aggravated by ongoing civic works, further compounds the problem. MTC bus commuters are experiencing significant delays due to the slow pace of travel on the stretch.
While the Greater Chennai Traffic Police have deployed personnel to regulate traffic and prevent unauthorized parking, the situation remains dire. The Greater Chennai Corporation has conducted encroachment removal drives in the area, but hawkers persistently return, citing livelihood concerns and resisting relocation to designated vending zones.
“It’s a constant battle,” explained P. Sriramulu, chairman of the Royapuram Zone Ward Committee. “We remove the encroachments, but they reappear. They refuse to move to the vending zones we’ve designated.”
The situation on Prakasam Salai highlights the challenges of managing traffic and urban planning in Chennai’s bustling commercial districts, demanding a more comprehensive and sustainable solution to alleviate the daily hardship faced by commuters and pedestrians.
First Piper 