Traffic police withdraw new OMR U-turn as trial triggers 2-to-3-hour traffic delays

The U-turn trial was intended to reduce traffic congestion in areas surrounding the Thoraipakkam-Perungudi stretch. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) withdrew a U-turn trial on OMR after it resulted in heavy traffic on Wednesday.Intended to streamline traffic around the Thoraipakkam-Perungudi stretch, the experiment turned into a nightmare for commuters.Following the GCTP’s implementation of new U-turn restrictions in connection with the ongoing Metro Rail and road alignment works, OMR witnessed traffic slow to a crawl.The traffic changes were implemented with effect from Wednesday to reduce traffic congestion and regulate vehicular movement on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR) and in the Thoraipakkam area.As per the announcement, vehicles proceeding towards Sholinganallur from Mettukuppam and Pillayar Kovil Street are prohibited from making a U-turn near Geetham restaurant. They should instead take the U-turn at the Perungudi toll booth. The traffic police have also introduced three more U-turns on OMR.Commuters said U-turns previously located roughly one km away had been pushed significantly farther, which coupled with traffic congestion caused severe inconvenience to many office-goers.Hussain, a resident of PTC Quarters, said he was unable to walk on the service lane to cross the road and reach a medical shop in the morning. “It usually takes me about five minutes to cross the road, but today I was unable to navigate the traffic, and it took me half an hour to reach the shop”, he said.Vaishnavee Suresh, a resident of Thoraipakkam said, “When I left home by 9.45 a.m. Google Maps showed it would take 29 minutes just to reach Perungudi. Though there were policemen on the road, they were few and far in between. I saw ambulances blaring loudly and trying to move other vehicles. The main carriageway and the service lane in the Sholinganallur to Thiruvanmiyur direction were full of slow-moving vehicles.”The traffic congestion eased in the afternoon as the traffic police withdrew the changes and allowed the movement of vehicle like earlier.A senior police officer of GCTP said following traffic congestion, they withdrew changes that were introduced on a trial basis. “We may reintroduce it only after studying the traffic flow and other factors,” the officer said. Published - September 23, 2026 10:13 pm IST