Streets of Chennai

None of the SCAW team were prepared for the chaos of traffic congestion and driving down the streets of Chennai.  On Monday we set out for our third distribution in Ambattur.  At 7:30am the vehicle traffic was relatively calm.  Rush hour does not begin until 8:00am.  However, the streets were teaming with people walking on the roads, waiting for buses, getting breakfast at the many roadside food stalls and washing/bathing at the public water taps.

Flashes of colour were provided by the women's bright saris.  Children in their school uniforms were waiting for public transport.  Cows meander with impunity as they are considered sacred and revered.  They are very useful, along with the goats and dogs, in eating garbage strewn on the roads.  Women with twig brooms were sweeping streets in front of their shops.  A barbers chair was set on the sidewalk, where a man was having his haircut and his shave for the day.  Shops were opening as we drove by.  Of particular interest were butcher shops with carcasses hanging from hooks out in the open sun and live chickens in crates.

The traffic increased as we approached 8:00am.  The streets were filled with trucks, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, ox carts and auto rickshaws.  The motorcycles often carried whole families with the driver and the passenger each holding a child or baby - none wearing helmets.  Traffic lanes were regularly ignored and intersections were negotiated by bluff in hope that the other traffic would yield.  Horns blared and people scurried out of the way.  Pavement was often broken, curbs non-existent, ruts and pot holes abounded and resulted in a harrowing, bumpy ride.

We did arrive safely for a successful distribution at a Rotary operated school with 18 teachers and 500 children.

Laurie-Beth for Team Chennai 2013
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