CHENNAI: T Santhanam, a 50-year-old accountant in a private firm in Mogappair East, now takes extra precaution while driving from office through the Mettukulam road on Poonamallee High Road. He must ensure his car does not again ram into that giant wall at the centre of the road.Santhanam recalled his experience about how he escaped without injuries, after he failed to spot the wall. “I didn’t notice the wall the first time I drove here. There were no lights and I rammed straight into it. Though the vehicle was completely damaged at the front I luckily escaped unhurt,” he said.The 500-ft long wall was built a few years ago to facilitate construction of Madras Port - Maduravoyal elevated corridor. Since the project got into a legal tangle, the construction was stopped. And the wall has now become a hindrance for free flow of traffic.A traffic inspector monitoring the area said that there have been several accidents because of poor lighting around the structure.“One cannot spot it from far. This road is too dangerous to drive, mainly during night,” said Purushottam Rao, a salesperson. Motorists claimed they have even taken up the issue to local officials requesting them to either remove the wall or to place a barricade around it. “I personally visited the local councillor and requested him to at least put adequate lighting around the structure. But there is no progress,” said Santhanam.Paranthaman M, zonal officer of Zone 8, Shenoy Nagar , said they are aware of all complaints on the structure and are taking steps to resolve it.“We cannot remove the wall since the legal proceedings are going on, but the construction is likely to revive in a month or two. But to avoid any further mishap we will soon be placing reflectors around it,” he said.

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