Traffic in Chennai was hugely hit on Monday as Jallikattu protests continued in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai traffic was hugely hit on Monday as the protests over Jallikattu took a violent turn. Areas including Triplicane, Teynampet, Kilpauk, T Nagar and Anna Salai have been blocked by protesters since morning, causing severe hardship to office goers. Traffic is still choked at various areas of South Chennai, including the East Coast road, Velluchery, and parts of the road that extends from T Nagar with Gemini Flyover in the heart of the city. The Beach Road, running next to the Marina Beach, was closed to traffic.
While buses were halted as a preventive measure in some parts, the suburban electric train services were on.
The IT corridor - also called Old Mahabalipuram Road - is blocked from Tidel Park to the SSN College. Snaking jams can be seen in Thuraipakkam, Sholinganallur and Siruseri on the IT corridor and also the suburban area of Perungudi.
Twitter overflowed with information and warnings as frustrated office goers, stuck in traffic, posted live updates. And some even tweeted offering shelter to commuters stuck in traffic..
Several schools chose to shut early in view of the protests.
As the police tried to get protesters out of the beach area in view of the coming Republic Day celebrations, some people went on a rampage. They allegedly targeted the police, throwing stones and set vehicles on fire at a few places, including in front of the Ice House Police Station near the beach. The front portion of the station and the name board were damaged in the fire. The men, who, the police said, were anti-national elements and not genuine protesters, also set cars on fire near Nadukuppam.