Madhavaram-Red Hills NH traffic takes 'toll' on commuters

DESPITE being a toll road, the 9.5 km national highway from Madhavaram junction to Padiyanallur of the Chennai-Kolkata national highway (NH-16) always faces heavy traffic congestion owing to junctions every 500m and poor upkeep.

- B ANBUSELVAN

The dense residential and commercial areas on both sides exacerbates the situation. Besides, the Madhvaram Nallur section could not be widened to six lanes as relocating utilities like electrical cables and water pipelines is a monumental task, according to the NHAI. The 33.5km NH from the Nallur toll plaza towards the Tamil Nadu -Andhra Pradesh border is six lanes.

According to motorists and truckers heading to Vijayawada, Tada, and Tirupati, it takes 60-95 minutes to traverse 10km section owing to numerous junctions where residents frequently cross the road. Despite toll fees being collected, the road shows signs of neglect and lack of attention. The section carries 1.4 lakh vehicles a day.