Actor Suresh Chandra Menon suggested a solution to Chennai’s traffic crisis
Video Credit: Shiv Raj, Johann Satiidas, Thomodaran B.
Suresh Chandra Menon is explaining the need for a U-turn over a special stretch in OMR, when a lorry on the wrong side of the road hurts him. Soon, some other vehicles are piled on the back of the lorry. Within minutes, there is a traffic jam.
Sensing chaos, Suresh jumps into action. He rotates in the middle of the road, blocks traffic on one side for a few seconds and lets go to the lorry. It is a quickAction that increases a major traffic pile.
Suresh Chandra Menon in OMR, Chennai | Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Thomodaran B.
Actor-symmetographer, Tamil film is the most famous among the audience for his role in 1993 Pudi Mugam (Which translates into ‘new face’), now there is a new face. On the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), where he lives, Suresh Menon is widely known as a ‘traffic planner’. “Traffic is not just a road issue,” they say, “it has a huge impact on people’s time and money. Smooth traffic regulation can lead to high savings for the residents of the city.”
The journey began about 15 years ago, when one of Suresh’s early suggestions – for a roundabout near Raj Bhavan – was implemented by the city’s traffic authorities. “There used to be five signals at that place, and a round -round -round meant that people could easily move forward instead of waiting,” they say. His next suggestion was to make the flyover two-way in a way, and he said, “Thus, the middle Kailash will have a slight more movement and low traffic congestion.”
Suresh’s thoughts are the result of a lot of work. “I must have scored 30-40 rounds at each junction, during all time of the day, to get an idea of ​​traffic flow. Depending on my study, I work on a possible solution, put it on a piece of paper and send it to the additional commissioner of traffic, who in return will consider other factors based on the years.
Keep walking
While he travels across the city for work – Suresh is busy with acting in some films besides a direction project besides acting in some films., His ‘Passion Project’ is sometimes somewhere in busy OMR, in which active metro rail construction is now going on. And this, jointly with IT offices urge employees to report back to the workplaces in one-political scenario, resulting in more traffic chaos. “We have done seven U-turns, based on a 60-page document, which covers every junction from Navalur to Middle Kalash. Right now, we can drive this entire stretch in 50 minutes during non-diamond hours, without wasting time without any indication. You may need to move slowly.
Suresh Chandra Menon | Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Srinivas Ramanujam. OnePlus shot on #Framesofindia
Suresh’s solutions are mainly for OMR, but his recent suggestions have also improved traffic issues near Kamakshi Hospital Junction in Pallikari. “People do not feel that these simple solutions protect them from a lot of fuel and many men for hours, not to mention pollution while waiting on signs.
So, why is the actor so emotional about traffic? “You can sit and keep complaining about things or you can find a way. I think I have chosen the latter. What I am doing is not rocket science; It is just based on general knowledge. As citizens, we have to feel that these small things make different differences on the quality of our life and our children get more pollution-free Chennai.”
Suresh Menon is still in a film
A new face
Suresh Chandra Menon’s most memorable film outing was in 1993 Pudi MugamStarring Raywathi and Vinath. A thriller who had a hero under plastic surgery to have a new identity, the film had a music of AR Rahman, whose tune is popular in it till date. Thirty -two years later, Suresh saw it. “I was not going to act in it, but I had to do it, because the top heroes of that time were not ready to work with a new director. It was the first film to be shot in Sri Lanka after the riots. Arvind Swamy and Vikram dubbed it.”
Subsequently, Suresh has played some roles in films and was involved with the television industry. “I was away from the media industry for more than 10 years, until I did not play a role in Suria Police Station Serend Kotam (2018). Since then, I have done about 20 films, in different languages. I think I am a bad actor, because there are very few roles that I can fit like a policeman or a villain or a heroine’s father. ,
Currently, Suresh is directing a project after nearly three decades. “The shoot is over and we plan to release it in the next few months. The story revolves around Jean-Z; I think every 18-25 years old is related.”
Published – June 19, 2025 05:30 AM IST
