Mamallapuram and its surrounding areas are getting a facelift ahead of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, scheduled to be held in the heritage town on Friday and Saturday. As part of the security arrangements for the meet, the Chennai Traffic Police have announced major route changes within and on the outskirts of Chennai.
From closing the tourist spot for visitors till the weekend to posting around 10,000 police personnel on call for the event, the state government has been on its feet leading the arrangements to ensure that the event goes off smoothly. The Chennai Traffic Police, on Wednesday, issued a press release with details of all the traffic diversions that will be in place during the VVIP visit to the tourist town. Here are the details:
- From 6 am to 11 pm on Friday and Saturday: Heavy vehicles, goods vehicles, light goods carriers and tanker lorries will not be allowed to enter GST Road (from Airport to Kathippara), Anna Salai (Kathippara to Little Mount), Sardar Patel road, Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR) and East Coast Road (ECR).
- From 12.30 pm to 2 pm on Friday: Vehicles moving towards Chennai will be diverted at Perungalathur via the Maduravoyal Bypass. Vehicles moving from south Chennai to northern areas will be diverted via the Chromepet-Pallavaram Radial road and the Maduravoyal bypass to their destinations. Vehicles coming from Tambaram and Chromepet will be allowed to use the Radial road.
- From 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm on Friday: Vehicles plying on GST Road will not be allowed towards Guindy. Traffic will be diverted via the 100 feet road at the Kathippara junction.
- From 2 pm to 9 pm on Friday: Vehicles coming into the city via OMR will be diverted at Sholinganallur junction via Perumbakkam. Same arrangement will be maintained on Saturday also from 7.30 am to 2 pm.
- From 2 pm to 9 pm on Friday: Vehicles will not be allowed to go towards Muttukkadu at Akkarai junction on ECR. Same arrangement will be maintained on Saturday also from 7 am to 1.30 pm.