Stray cattle biggest roadblock to traffic safety at Periyar Nagar

Motorists in Periyar Nagar have to be extra cautious while driving as cattle straying on the roads are a threat to road safety.

Periyar Nagar is a thickly populated and planned residential area near Perambur. It was initially allotted for Secretariat staff but due to rapid expansion, the area became one of the most sought-after localities in North Chennai.

Periyar Nagar overwhelmingly comprises of the working population and though the roads are wide, there are several obstacles which have shrunk the width of the roads. Adding to the woes, stray cattle are turning out to be a cause of worry mainly for bike riders in Periyar Nagar.

Residents blame the cattle owners for letting the cattle loose and also provisional stores for feeding them. Stray cattle menace is not just on the linking streets but also on the main roads due to which traffic is affected in Periyar Nagar in prime hours.

Speaking to Dt Next, R Nandakumar, a resident of Periyar Nagar and a Southern Railway employee, said, “Stray cattle menace has become a huge irritant for working people in our area. Several accidents have been reported from the area, especially during peak hours.”

He added that motorists are unable to predict the animals’ movement and end in colliding with other vehicles in an attempt to avoid the cattle. “Motorists have hit the cattle too sometimes,” Nandakumar, who demanded the Corporation officials to put an end to the menace, said.

Karpagam, a roadside vendor near Shiva Vishnu temple in Periyar Nagar, said that the junction connecting Karthikeyan Road and Balasubramaniyan Street is one of the busiest junctions in Periyar Nagar and cattle crossing the junction is very common. “Number of vehicles have increased in the recent years and so has the number of accidents,” said Karpagam.

When zonal officials were contacted, they said that they have warned and fined the cattle owners. However, the officials assured to take steps to contain the problem.