The State Highways Department is working on the road from K.K. Chavadi to Velanthavalam in Coimbatore District and lack of space on the roadside is resulting in accidents regularly on the stretch, according to V. Easwaran, state youth wing secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).
In a memorandum submitted to District Collector M. Karunagaran on Friday, Mr. Easwaran said that the land on either side of the road has been dug up for the road works. This has resulted in deep pits and the vehicles are unable to move to the edge of the road. For the last few months, accidents are increasing on the stretch. The Highways Department should widen the road, expedite the works to reduce the accidents.
Mr. Easwaran told The Hindu that the road works are going on for the last five months. Earlier the road had space on either side and vehicles were able to move out of the road, if need be. But the road was damaged and the Highways Department was working on it. In that process, the land on either side has been dug up and there is no space for the vehicles when they move to the edge of the road. There are just two villages on the stretch and street lights are available only near the villages. During the night, the drivers are unable to see the pits on the roadside and accidents are becoming common.
An official of the Highways Department here says that it was upgrading the stretch with funds from the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD). Works are over for four km. Rains are heavy in the area and hence the works have slowed down. The height of the road has not been increased much. But it is a narrow stretch and the roadway is just 7.5 metres wide. Under the current project, it would not be possible to acquire land to widen the road. Barricades will be installed at select spots when the works are completed.