The increase in number of vehicles has resulted in frequent traffic jams at every junction of the city. Especially at signals that are close to the bus bays.

Most of the bus bays in the city including Ramanathapuram, Gounder Mills, Goundampalayam, Laxmi Mills, Nava India, Pelamedu, CMC, Sitra and Singanallur are close to signals.

Motorists and drivers feel that the bus bays near traffic signals lead to traffic congestion each time a bus stops at a signal. “Buses stopping at a bus bay is not an issue. But the problem arises when the bay is close to the signal and the buses block the way for other vehicles coming from behind. Even when the signal turns green, traffic doesn’t ease,” said S. Anand, a motorist from Sungam.

Terming this as the most common issue, he also added that it was worse in areas where the roads are narrower. “It is chaotic in the Mettupalayam Road as the roads are narrower there,” said another motorist.

According to a traffic police, the congestion is more during morning hours and in the evenings when schools and Colleges close. “In the evenings, students crowd near the bus bays, making the roads even narrower. Hell breaks lose when a bus arrives,” sighed a traffic cop.

Even as the city police shifted some bus terminus 20-30 feet away from signals, people continue to crowd near the signals despite policemen asking them to go to the bays. “New bus bays have been constructed far away from the signals but people refuse to go there. Even the bus drivers do not stop there as no passenger waits for them,” the cop added.

An official of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, when contacted, said the drivers have been advised to stop the buses only at the bays.