Rows of vehicles moving at a snail’s pace greeted road users who entered Cross Cut Road from Dr. Nanjappa Road on Saturday. While four-wheeler drivers joined the rows, motorcyclists inched their way forward in the space around four-wheelers.
The situation was same on almost the entire length of the road and even on the North Coimbatore flyover.
The scene was slightly different near Kaleeswara Mills. Four-wheelers were caught among two-wheelers and other vehicles as everyone was competing for the available space to move forward. The result – heavy traffic congestion on Cross Cut Road, in Kattoor and Ramnagar.
This has been happening ever since the Coimbatore Corporation began works to build drainage across Shastri Road on both sides of the underpass near Kikani School, forcing motorists to use either the North Coimbatore flyover or Kaleeswara Mills underpass to move from one side to another.
Adding to the traffic congestion on the Coimbatore North flyover are road users who are forced to take the Mettupalayam Road and the flyover to reach Sivananda Colony, as the Coimbatore City Traffic Police have closed the Sivananda Colony link road to facilitate work beneath the railway tracks there.
At these congestion-prone pockets the absence of traffic constables is only telling because road users, to move ahead of others, swerve to the right, obstructing the way for on-coming vehicles.
At many junctions on the congested stretches, auto rickshaw drivers and local traders regulated traffic, as happened in Kattoor on Friday, says consumer activist K. Kathirmathiyon, who was caught in the traffic jam. This shows the lack of coordination among various government agencies, particularly the Coimbatore Corporation and the Coimbatore City Traffic Police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sujit Kumar says that the Corporation had informed them of the drain work near Kikani School.
To ease the congestion the police have deployed additional strength. Along with three sub-inspectors and eight constables of the traffic police, eight personnel from the Armed Reserve have been roped in for better traffic management. The policemen will regulate parking and remove vehicles parked illegally to ensure smooth flow of vehicles, says a police officer.
Work to reduce inundation
The Coimbatore Corporation has begun work to build drainage on both sides of the railway track that runs across Shastri Road in Ramnagar. It will link the drains to the existing ones and cover it with iron grills to ensure that the run-off rainwater from both sides of the road did not flow towards the underpass near Kikani School, but falls into the drain. The cost of the work is ₹ 13.50 lakh, which the Corporation is meeting from its funds, says an engineer in-charge of constructing the drains.
The Corporation started the work on December 6 and plans to finish it by December 15.
