Tiruchi city and its suburbs have been sporting a new look over the past one year, thanks to the widened national highway and many new over bridges. The city roads too have been widened and given a facelift by the Corporation, much to the delight of the city's residents.
But the Dindigul road from Aristo hotel junction to Korayar bridge continues to remain an eyesore due to its narrowness. This stretch of the road is not able to withstand the heavy volume of traffic witnessed round-the-clock and has become an accident prone zone.
The road users and the residents of the innumerable localities abutting this road have pleaded for immediate steps for the widening of this road to ensure free flow of traffic.
This road stretch passes through a thickly populated stretch on both its sides. Over 15,000 families reside in about 45 odd colonies in and around Karumandapam area. Besides, a number of educational institutions, corporate offices are also located on the road.
A large number of lorries transporting construction materials; trailers; containers proceeding to Tuticorin Port, buses and other vehicles towards Dindigul and coming from Dindigul crisscross this road throughout the day. Two-wheeler riders predominantly office-goers and students also use the road frequently, particularly during the peak hours.
The heavy traffic flow on this stretch leads to chaotic traffic conditions on the Ponnagar – Collector office road junction and also in front of the National College during the peak hours.
The two wheeler riders have to struggle through this narrow road with sand deposit on both sides. Moreover the parking of the omni buses on the road sides also lead to traffic bottlenecks.
Many precious lives were lost in the accidents involving vehicles in the last few years on this road. In the last one year along, a dozen fatal accidents have been reported on this road. Many minor accidents by the hit and run vehicles go unnoticed.
On March 14, a sand laden lorry hit a truck proceeding towards the city killing two persons on the spot.
The residents of the Karumandapam and various organisations have been demanding widening of the Dindigul road in general and the stretch between Aristo hotel junction and Korayar bridge in particular, for many years.
There is ample vacant land belonging to the National Highway available on either sides which can be used for widening. But the authorities have turned a blind eye all these years.
The officials assured the locals that the flow of traffic on the Dindigul road will come down considerably once the four lane road proceeding towards Dindigul is linked with the Viralimalai road, which too was widened recently. But this arrangement has in no way helped in easing traffic on this stretch.
Only the heavy vehicles directly proceeding to Dindigul from Chennai and other northern districts use the new bypass road, skipping their entry into the city.
But all other vehicles, including container lorries, proceeding from Tiruchi city, use this road as usual, giving anxious moments to other road-users.
The traffic on this important road will increase manifold in the coming days, says C. Balasubramanian, secretary, Karumandapam Exnora Flood Prevention Committee and pleads for the widening of this road with immediate effect.
When there is adequate space for executing widening work, why it is not being done, is the question posed by M. Kamatchi, an M. Phil student of Bharathidasan University.
The indifferent attitude of the mini bus, share auto drivers in parking the vehicles in a haphazard manner for taking and dropping the people also leads to traffic congestion.
The police and the traffic department officials should issue proper directive to them to strictly adhere to traffic norms, says A.Mohana of Karumandapam, employed in a private firm.
S.Chinnasamy, a staff of a travel agency is of the view that the presence of many corporate offices attracts executives, foreigners and others during day time. A service road will immensely benefit the locals, he says.
