The plan to convert National Highway 45 into a four-lane one for better road connectivity has turned into a problem for the residents of a few villages on the Tiruchi-Manapparai and Manapparai- Vaiyampatti segments of the road. As some village roads branch out from the NH, residents who cross the road get involved in accidents.
However, the Transport Department’s efforts in setting up speed-breakers on some village roads near the points where they meet the NH has brought down the accident rate, said V.Sathyanarayanan, Regional Transport Officer, Tiruchi West.
Talking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the inauguration of the All India Road Safety Week celebrations inaugurated at the Central Bus Stand here on Sunday, Mr. Sathyanarayanan said the Transport Department has identified accident-prone villages and initiated measures to bring down the accident rate.
The junctions identified include Sevalur village, Vellakal, Thirampatti, Manjampatti, Kallupatti, Uzhavar Sandhi, Avarampatti and Karunkulam.
The number of non-fatal road accidents has come down from 800 during year 2013-14 to 600 during the current financial year in Tiruchi city, he said.
The department has also planned to sensitise villagers of Valanadu Kaikatti near Tiruchi to road safety measures. “A number of villagers, because of their old habit, cross the road without adhering to road safety measures which lead to accidents,” he said. Earlier, Minister for Khadi and Village Industries T.P.Poonachi inaugurated the road safety week celebrations by flagging off an awareness rally at the Central Bus Stand.
He also inspected the mobile exhibition on road safety put up by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. K.S.Palaniswamy, District Collector, was present.
An official press release issued here said that a series of programmes, including cultural contests on January 12, rally on January 13, slogan-writing, painting, elocution and essay-writing contest on January 18, distribution of pamphlets on January 19, free health camp for drivers on January 20, and administering of pledge on January 21, would be organised as part of the celebrations.
Mr.Poonachi also pasted posters on buses and distributed pamphlets to passengers.
R.Manoharan, Chief Whip, Ramalingam, Deputy Commissioner of Transport, and E.Santhanam and Balasubramanian, Deputy Managers, TNSTC, spoke.
