Chennai: Key Routes in Traffic Gridlock after Brief Rain, IMD Predicts More Rain Ahead

Chennai: After a short but intense rainfall, Chennai traffic came to a halt on Thursday. Though there was no major waterlogging, several crucial routes saw long lines of vehicles piling one another after. Parts of north and south Chennai, and the suburbs were the ones to be largely affected by the rainfall and gridlock. While Ponneri recorded 9cm of rain, Manali received 6cm of rain. Avadi and Sholinganallur 5cm each. The traffic was as usual on Thursday morning after the rain intensity reduced after 8.30am. However, in the evening, several arterial roads such as Anna Salai and GST Road were choked after rain started.The rain gauge in Good Will School, Villivakkam recorded 6cm, ACS Medical College and Poonamallee 4cm by 7.30pm. Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam observatories recorded 7mm and 1cm of rain, reported In the suburbs, there was heavy traffic at many places. While the Tambaram-Velachery high road was jam-packed, motorists near Selaiyur and Tambaram had to scramble through narrow waterlogged roads as the central lanes were dug up and barricaded for underground gas pipeline work. On the northern outskirts, thanks to the Kavaraipettai bridge work, traffic was bumper to bumper for more than 3km near Gummidipoondi. Vehicles on the Chennai-Tada highway had to wait for an hour to reach Puzhal from Gummidipoondi. At the Surapattu toll plaza, meanwhile, pumps have been deployed to prevent water stagnation.

Chennai Weather Today Chennai expects more rain ahead, with the India Meteorolgical Department (IMD) issued yellow alert, the second time this month, for the city, the neighbouring districts of Kanchipuram, Chengelpet, and Tiruvallur, and eight other districts on Nov 11 and 13. These places may receive heavy rainfall at isolated places. The city is likely to receive light to moderate intensity rainfall for the next three days. Rain activity may shift to south coastal areas and delta districts till November 10. "The cyclonic circulation may not intensify into a low-pressure area but may bring rainfall to many districts as the rain activity may keep shifting," said N Senthamarai Kannan, director, regional weather forecasting centre, IMD.