Toll plazas on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (IT Corridor) and East Coast Road (ECR) up to Puducherry remained open on Sunday during the ‘Janata Curfew’. Over one lakh vehicles usually pass through the plazas on the IT Corridor while around 10,000 take the ECR.
On weekends, around 13,000 vehicles pass through the ECR toll plazas.
Sources in Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC), which manages both roads, said that since the staff did not turn up for duty, they decided to let the boom barriers stay open.
Deserted roads
“There was very minimal traffic on both roads and whatever was there was only government vehicles involved in sanitising work. There were a few press vehicles and a small number of two-wheelers from whom we don’t collect toll,” said an official.
Both roads wore an empty look with residents not being able to recall such an occasion at any point of time.
At the 48 toll plazas across the State, used by over 7 lakh (paying) vehicles a day, under the control of the National Highways Authority of India, traffic was minimal. An official said that movement was extremely low and toll booth operators were asked to wear gloves and masks.
“We have been sanitising booths during every shift change and asking employees to wash and use the thermal meters to check body temperature,” he said.
