Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Uncertainty over Corporation move to install foot bridges

PHOTO: M.GOVARTHAN

Facing hurdles: Narrow roads in Erode are likely to make it difficult for the Corporation to put up foot bridges at six places. —

ERODE: Erode Corporation recently passed a resolution for installation of foot-over bridges in various places of the city.

The September 30 resolution says six such bridges, each at Rs. 18 lakh, will be installed at the Mettur Road entrance of bus stand, near Royal Theatre, at Paneer Selvam Park junction, near Kalaimattu Silai on Railway Station Road, at the entrance of the Government Hospital, between Kalaimagal and Sengunthar schools on Brough Road and at Surampatty Naal Road.

The Corporation Council’s reason for the six bridges: to prevent accidents that occur at these places.

The reason, no doubt, is laudable; the solution, however, is bereft of application of mind, to say the least.

Take for example the bus stand entrance on Mettur Road, which is little more than 50 feet wide.

It is a very important thoroughfare in Erode in that it connects Sathy Road, Bhavani Road and Cauvery Road, which leads to Salem, with Brough Road, which is the road to take for Karur, Perundurai, Coimbatore and other places on the west and south of the city.

The place where the Corporation intends to install the bridge is congested, leaving very little space for stairs to land on the side opposite the bus stand.

Even if the Corporation was to go ahead and install the bridge, pedestrians will be disinclined to use, as they will have to climb at least 50 steps.

The only way the civic body can make the pedestrians take the foot-over bridge is by barricading the road at the median.

And, doing that will make it difficult for buses to enter and exit the bus stand, again because of the space constraint.

At the second place that has been proposed, Paneer Selvam Park junction, it is going to be even more difficult, if what the Corporation says is anything to go by.

The proposal is for having a flight of stairs at Tiruvengada Samy Koil Street and the other on Gandhiji Road, across Brough Road.

For those who know what T.V. Samy Koil Street is, can image the hardships it will cause.

The street is in fact a lane, acting more or less as a parking lot for lorries and vans that bring in and take textile goods to the warehouses there. What to say of the bullock carts that add to the traffic commotion?

Given the buildings, TNEB’s transformer and Kani Market entrance, it remains to be seen where the Corporation will land the foot-over bridge.

The same arguments hold good for the other places as well. The other common factor in all the places is the absence of platforms.

The Corporation will have to land the foot-over bridges on the road.

At Surampatty Naal Road the Corporation can go in for alternative solutions to prevent accidents.

Repairing the automatic traffic signal so as to reflect the junction’s vehicle movement and constructing medians will be effective and cost effective than a Rs. 18 lakh foot-over bridge.

The six foot-over bridges together cost Rs. 1.08 crore, not a small sum.

For less than a fraction of the amount, the Corporation in association with police can train personnel on the road for effective traffic management.

Again for less than a fraction of the amount, it can mark zebra crossings on the road for safe pedestrian crossings.

Will it do so, is the moot question.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Uncertainty over Corporation move to install foot bridges
Minister launches subsidised spices scheme

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu