There is an increase in vehicle breakdowns on Dhimbam Ghat Road disrupting vehicle movements between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Road users see it as a major cause of concern as it affects their travel plans.
The road with 27 hairpin bends on the Dindigul – Mysuru National Highway 948 passes through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Lorries with 12 wheels and above are allowed to use the road from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day while other vehicles are allowed round the clock.
However, time restriction on lorry movement that was implemented to prevent breakdowns and accidents failed to yield any results as overloaded vehicles and vehicles carrying goods without any height restrictions, continue to develop snag while negotiating the hair bends resulting in traffic congestion.
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Work on the two weigh bridges that were proposed at Hasanur and Bannari is carried out in a slow pace.
On Saturday, a truck moving towards Mysuru developed snag at the third hairpin bend in the middle of the road.
Since adequate road space was available at the bend, movement of vehicles was not disrupted much.
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T. Krishnan, a software professional from Coimbatore who works in Mysuru, said that his travel plan on weekends was mostly disrupted due to vehicle breakdowns on the ghat road. “Since wild animals are present in the stretch, we have to be inside the car for many hours,” he added.
A businessman from Erode, P.N. Vadivel, who visits Chamrajnagar regularly, said that he could not reach the destination on time due to traffic congestion. “Heavy vehicles should not be allowed to use the ghat road,” he said and added that many tourists started avoiding the ghat road as they were caught in congestion for many hours.
Commercial vehicle drivers said that at least three to five lorries developed snag every week on the road affecting the vehicle users. The issue could be solved only if restriction was imposed on height and weight for loaded lorries, they added.