Heavy Traffic Congestion in Chennai Suburbs as People Return After Pongal Holidays
Severe traffic congestion was reported across several suburban areas of Chennai as lakhs of people returned to the city following the conclusion of the Pongal festival holidays.
Ahead of the Pongal celebrations, a large number of Chennai residents had travelled to their native places using special buses and trains operated by the government, while many others opted for private vehicles. With the holiday season coming to an end, the return journey began in full swing.
Traffic Builds Up at Toll Plazas and Entry Routes
From Sunday afternoon onwards, a steady inflow of cars, vans, and other vehicles was witnessed towards Chennai. As a result, heavy congestion developed at the Ulundurpet Toll Plaza, where vehicles were seen waiting in long queues for several kilometres.
To ease the congestion, toll plaza authorities opened two additional counters, while traffic police were deployed to regulate vehicle movement and clear bottlenecks.
GST Road Sees Major Traffic Snarls
People from neighbouring districts surrounding Chennai also began returning in large numbers using private vehicles, government buses, and private buses. This led to severe traffic congestion along the GST Road, particularly in areas such as:
- Vandalur
- Perungalathur
- Tambaram
- Chromepet
In several locations, vehicles were lined up over long stretches, causing significant inconvenience to commuters and motorists.
Commuters Face Long Delays
Due to the heavy volume of traffic arriving simultaneously, motorists experienced long delays and slow-moving traffic across key entry points into Chennai. Traffic police continued monitoring the situation and managing vehicle flow to restore normalcy.
