Despite a prominent ‘No Entry’ signboard, vehicles sneak into South Masi Street from the western side of the busy shopping stretch, leading to accidents.
Recently, a speeding motorcyclist from Vilakkuthoon side collided head-on with an overloaded tricycle coming from the wrong side of the one-way at night. Both the vehicles were damaged in the accident.
In the recent years, the city police have introduced one-way traffic system on many roads to relieve congestion, after taking into account parameters such as traffic flow, road width and availability of alternative routes for the diverted vehicles. But the one-way traffic system is not followed at few places, either due to vehicle users indifferent to traffic rules or lack of strict enforcement by the police.
A police officer said that since flyovers and elevated highways are far-fetched, the residents should make do with the available infrastructure and follow rules scrupulously so as to facilitate smooth traffic flow.
18 types of vehicles
A traffic police officer on duty at Vilakkuthoon junction says, strangely, 18 types of vehicles ply on Madurai roads. Apart from heavy, LCV and two-wheeler categories, in slow moving category alone there are six types of vehicles. These vehicles can be seen at Keerathurai, M.K. Puram, Vengalakadai Street, South Marret Street, Masi and Moola streets, Jaihindpuram and Nelpettai. These slow-moving vehicles not only occupy carriage space but also make fast-moving vehicles follow them in a sort of procession.
Inspector General and Commissioner of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal says one-way traffic system is introduced where volume of traffic is high and traffic congestions are more pronounced. Likewise, parking is not allowed on roads with space constraints. While some people follow these rules religiously, others need some prodding by police.
