Mon Oct 27 06:02:47 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
A chronic traffic problem plagues the CTH Road in Padi, Chennai, particularly around Padavattamman Main Road, which leads to the Thiruvalithayam Sivan Temple. The combination of temple visitors, shoppers, daily commuters, long-distance buses, factory traffic, and vehicle consecration at the temple creates significant congestion. This congestion often blocks ambulances heading to nearby hospitals. The situation is expected to worsen with the opening of a new mall near Lucas TVS. Residents are calling for increased traffic regulation and manual policing, especially during evening rush hours when police presence is currently lacking. Structural changes to the road are not feasible, making traffic management the only viable solution.
News Article:
Padi Residents Demand Traffic Relief as Congestion Chokes CTH Road
Chennai, October 27, 2025 – Residents of Padi are raising concerns about the crippling traffic congestion on CTH Road, particularly affecting access to the Thiruvalithayam Sivan Temple via Padavattamman Main Road. The road, already narrow, faces a daily deluge of vehicles from various sources, including temple devotees, shoppers, daily commuters, long-distance buses, and factory traffic. The combination creates significant bottlenecks that have serious consequences.
“The traffic is simply unbearable,” said C. Balasubramanian, a Padi resident and concerned citizen. “It’s not just an inconvenience; ambulances are getting stuck, delaying critical care for people needing urgent medical attention at DRJ Hospital, ICF Hospital, and other facilities.”
The issue is compounded by the popularity of Padavattamman temple, where people bring new vehicles for consecration, adding to the road traffic. Long distance buses stopping at Padi flyover also contribute to this.
The situation is expected to worsen with the upcoming opening of a new mall near Lucas TVS, which residents fear will exacerbate the already dire traffic situation.
Given the structural limitations of the area, design interventions to widen the road are not considered feasible. Residents are urgently appealing to the traffic police to increase manual policing and traffic regulation, particularly during the evening rush hour, when the police presence is noticeably absent.
“We see some police presence in the mornings, but the evenings are a free-for-all,” said Balasubramanian. “The road becomes completely jammed, with vehicles moving bumper to bumper. We need immediate action to prevent this situation from spiraling further out of control.”
The residents of Padi hope that increased traffic management will alleviate the congestion and improve the quality of life and the safety of all those who use CTH Road.
First Piper 