Chennai: Wrong-side driving has become routine along the GST Road stretch between Saidapet and Guindy, particularly beneath the Chennai Metro Rail pillars, raising safety concerns for daily commuters.Motorists travelling from Saidapet towards Guindy often ride against traffic to bypass congestion near Raj Bhavan. Instead of waiting at the Taluk Office Road junction, two-wheelers and autorickshaws frequently enter the wrong lane along the CMRL corridor to access Velachery Main Road and continue towards Guindy.The manoeuvre is especially common during peak hours, when traffic is heaviest. Commuters say vehicles speeding along Anna Salai are often caught off guard by motorists emerging from the opposite direction, increasing the risk of serious collisions. Accidents on the stretch have become frequent. “I have to be extra cautious while passing through here. One slight deviation and I could end up colliding with vehicles coming from the opposite direction,” said Palani, a regular commuter.Motorists entering Velachery Main Road from Taluk Office Road in the wrong direction further disrupts traffic movement and increases the possibility of head-on collisions and chain-reaction crashes. The problem is compounded by vehicles entering Velachery Main Road from Taluk Office Road in the wrong direction, disrupting traffic flow and heightening the risk of head-on and chain-reaction crashes.Commuters attribute the violations in part to the absence of traffic police at key junctions. Karthik, a resident of Little Mount, said autorickshaws using the wrong side pose a particular threat. “Even after near misses or accidents, they rarely acknowledge their mistake and often argue with other motorists,” he said.Transport activist K Anbarasan said wrong-side driving leaves little room for reaction time. “At high speeds, even a minor error can lead to serious injury or loss of life. Police personnel should be deployed during peak hours to restore safety,” he said. A senior police officer said barricades would be installed to prevent motorists from entering the wrong side and to enforce lane discipline.
