With Metro rail services set to begin soon on the 14.6-km Poonamallee–Porur stretch in Chennai, the State Highways Department has cleared a total of 3,214 long-standing encroachments along the busy Mount–Poonamallee High Road to ease traffic congestion and improve road safety. For more than a decade, nearly one-third of the 20-ft-wide highway—connecting the Poonamallee Bypass to Porur Junction—had been occupied by illegal buildings, extensions, pavement shops, and roadside vendors selling fast food and meat. These encroachments significantly reduced the usable road space and led to frequent traffic bottlenecks on one of the city’s key arterial corridors. During a recent inspection, it was observed that most roadside shops had been removed and building projections extending onto the carriageway had been demolished. The reclaimed space has considerably widened the road, allowing smoother movement of heavy vehicles and private cars. According to a senior official from the State Highways Department, the stretch witnesses close to one lakh vehicles every hour. “The original road width was around 20 feet. With the encroachments cleared, we are planning to widen it by an additional two to three feet. The work will begin in the coming days and is expected to be completed before April,” the official said. However, concerns remain over traffic management. Despite most of the Metro construction being completed, several junctions still lack proper diversion boards and clear traffic signals. Officials have been urged to install adequate signages along the entire stretch to ensure commuter safety and smooth traffic flow. The encroachment clearance and proposed road widening have been widely welcomed by commuters, as the measures are expected to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and allow freer movement of vehicles along the busy corridor.