On September 14 this year, K. Ganesan, 32, of Sowripalayam Road was killed in a road accident on the Lakshmi Mills Junction — Ramanathapuram Junction Road. The Traffic Investigation Wing Police report on the incident said that Ganesan, who rode a two-wheeler, lost balance while trying to negotiate a newly constructed manhole lid, hit the median, sustained head injuries and died.
This was not the only accident on the road in the recent past. Several two-wheeler riders had lost their lives and limbs while trying to negotiate the dozen-odd manhole lids on the road, many of which where way above the road surface with the potential to throw off two-wheeler riders.
The Traffic Investigation Police had said that a road user lost his life on March 24, March 28, May 14 and July 22 and a few others had met with accidents on several occasions — all because of the raised manhole lids.
The Police further said that at a few places the different in height between the manhole and road surface was more than 15cm. The road users met with accidents while riding over the manhole lids or while trying to avoid those. And when riders lost balance, it was invariably the pillion rider who suffered injuries.
At a few places, street lights were at fault, increasing the possibilities of accidents. To remedy the situation, the Corporation officials concerned should initiate action at the earliest to prevent accidents, the Police said in a letter to the Corporation a couple of months ago.
The Police said that the protruding manhole lids were not peculiar to the road alone but such lids could be seen on several roads where the Coimbatore Corporation had taken up the underground drainage work. Thadagam Road was one such.
Sources in the Corporation said that it was taking steps to restore roads were it had taken up the underground drainage work. It had already repaired 353.84km roads. The State Government had sanctioned Rs. 130 crore for the purpose.
As for the road connecting the Lakshmi Junction with the Ramanathapuram Junction, the Corporation had deposited the necessary amount with the Highways Department, whose job it was to repair the road.
