Manapparai is a small town but is one of the most congested areas in the district by virtue of being a thriving agri business centre.
A large number of heavy vehicles laden with chillies, tamarind, groundnut, blackgram, thoor dal and other pulses reach the ‘Navadhanyam market’ – a wholesale marketplace in the town. Its connectivity with Pudukottai, Madurai and Dindigul is one of the reasons for a large number of heavy vehicles passing through it.
The inauguration of the new bus stand in the town has added to the operation of a large number of buses via the town.
Hitherto, the buses were operated through a temporary bus stand on the Cattle Shandy grounds.
Challenging roads
The narrow roads pose a challenge to the law-enforcing authorities to regulate traffic.
The worst is the Taluk Office Road which bears the brunt of traffic chaos, particularly during peak hours in the morning and evening.
Although some effort was taken to regulate the traffic by setting up automatic traffic signals at two places – at the Periyar statue traffic island near the bus stand and also at the Taluk Office Road, both have become defunct, indicating poor implementation of traffic norms in the town.
The Taluk Office Road and the Kovilpatti Road should be widened to ease the traffic.
Pavement shops
Pavement shops particularly in front of the Uzhavar Sandhai and the bus stand zone, should be cleared, say the residents.
They said that the problem turned worse when trucks transporting farm produce are brought to the Navadhanya Mandi.
Police, however, say that the available road facility was being best utilised for regulating the traffic.
The congestion was heavy at the Mariamman temple area which is also a bus stop. One-way traffic regulation has been introduced in this zone, which has eased the congestion to some extent. Steps would be taken to revive the automatic signal system, sources said.
