Residents along Rajiv Gandhi Salai want the toll plaza at Navalur removed since the stretch has become congested following the start of Metro Rail work. They say it is not right on the government’s part to collect toll for a road that has become narrow and has poor riding quality.
Harsha Koda, co-founder, Federation of Old Mahabalipuram Road Residents’ Associations, said the toll was being collected for the six-lane road from Madhya Kailash. “The user fee collection at four of the five plazas has been stopped since August 2021 to facilitate the construction of Metro Rail. Initially, we thought that the work will only extend till the Sholinganallur signal but now the barricades have come up between Sholinganallur and Navalur. The entire length of the road is congested,” he said.
V. Vaithiswaran, a resident of Navalur, said it was taking nearly double the usual time to reach Taramani daily due to the barricades. “The toll plaza at Navalur has caused residents and motorists enough trouble. The locality is thickly populated and still very much a part of Chennai even though it is not within Corporation limits. There are long queues every day, even during the weekends. It is high time that fee collection is stopped,” he added.
Residents also suggested earmarking some space for vehicle parking along the service lanes. “If space is not provided for parking how will commercial establishments abutting the service lanes function,” said M. Srikumar, a resident.
