Traffic in Chennai

Traffic in Chennai
Travelling in Chennai, one of the four metros of India, is every man's nightmare. Especially if one is self-driving a car or a two-wheeler. The traffic is not at all regulated andthe drivers are most indisciplined. People care a damn about traffic signals, rules to be followed during driving and about other drivers on the road. The big vehicleslike buses and lorries including the notorious water tankers follow their own rules when on road. They stop right in the middle of the road and turn all of a sudden. The brake lights and indicators are there for just name sake. They never function. They emit thick dark smoke which may choke a man to death. How these vehicles pass the fitness test every year is a point to ponder! Next comes the MUV's like Tata Sumo, Toyota Qualis, Mahindra Scorpio and other such vehicles keep on honking and race about the roads as if they are the only people on the road. The autos and share autos have grown in extremely large numbers within a short span of one year. The share autos are getting bigger and bigger day by day. They have practically taken over the bus stops meant for public buses. They are also polluting the atmosphere by their poisonous fumes. The schools, colleges and other companies/factories have also started running their own buses to increase their revenue. This adds to the woes of the general public travelling by two wheelers. Cyclists too play their part in creating confusion to the extremely confused traffic. They come from nowhere and suddenly take a turn across the road, putting their lives as well as the lives of other road users in jeopardy. They cycle merrily in the middle of the road with gay abandon. The pedestrians also make it a point to walk on the road fearing their shoes may get dirty! The cops are silent spectators to all this. They don't ensure that people follow the rules and vehicles are in proper condition. The government has declared that further 5000 autos will be given liscense to ply on the already congested roads of Chennai. The roads will have to be widened taking into account the number of vehicles plying on the roads. The methods for issuing liscence for drivers will have to be made more stringent and people will have to be educated in using the roads. The vehicles will have to be checked for emission, sound pollution and other safety devices.Unless these are done, travelling in Chennai will continue to be a nightmare for everybody.When we have stringent rules and regulations for ships plying in oceans, why not for the roads, where millions of people commute everyday? This is because I am a seafarer and I know all about the rules and regulations laid about for us!