MADURAI
The Tirupparankundram Road, popularly known as T.P.K Road, is one of the busiest roads in the city. While there are many accident-prone spots on the stretch, one cannot miss the landing of the Mayor Muthu Bridge near Madura College.
This is a crucial junction where on one side of the road lies Madura College and on the opposite side lies Tamil Nadu Polytechnic College. With the presence of two major educational institutions, the junction which is crucial for connecting Periyar bus stand towards Tirupparankundram becomes chaotic during peak hours.
For residents of Jaihindpuram, Sundarajapuram, Subramaniapuram, M.K. Puram and surrounding areas, the bridge is crucial to reach Periyar bus stand. It is a junction where vehicles enter from either side of the bridge to reach the Periyar bus stand.
The conflict happens when vehicles coming from Subramaniapuram and adjacent areas wait near the bridge landing and try to enter the bridge from the wrong side to go towards Periyar bus stand. They clash when they cut across with the vehicles which come down the bridge at higher speed.
M. Meenakshi Sundaram, a shopkeeper near the junction, says that accidents have become a daily occurrence at the spot.
“Two weeks back, a student from the Tamil Nadu Polytechnic College entered the bridge from the wrong side while riding his two-wheeler. When he tried to squeeze into the traffic, a speeding van coming down the bridge hit the two-wheeler. The student was severely hurt and the two-wheeler was crushed under the van,” he says.
To avoid the havoc, motorists can take the service road to take a ‘U’ turn under the bridge and move along Madura College ground side to merge with the traffic bound towards Periyar bus stand.
Motorists complain that it is inconvenient to take a ‘U’ turn under the bridge.“The first one is unpaved and is in an abysmal condition. There is not sufficient height for buses and lorries to take a ‘U’ turn under the bridge,” says A. Bashir, a shopkeeper.
M. Kalimuthu, a staff of Madura College, says that girl students are scared to take ‘U’ turn under the bridge owing to the presence of anti-social elements. “There is a wine shop near the bridge. Girl students fear troubles while travelling near the vicinity and hence they refrain from using the ‘U’ turn,” he adds.
A section of commuters travelling towards Tirupparankundram tend to take a ‘U’ turn in front of Madura College. “When the two-wheeler riders take a ‘U’ turn, it is adjacent to a bus stop in front of Madura College. In many instances, the two-wheeler riders collide with the buses and add to congestion during peak hours,” says V. Perumal, an autorickshaw driver.
To add to this confusion, vehicles coming from the Tirupparankundram side and entering Subramaniapuram criss-cross between the medians. This forces the speeding vehicles coming down the bridge from Periyar bus stand to screech to a halt.
The other main problem in this junction is the lack of a zebra-crossing and functional pedestrian signals. Confused pedestrians tend to cross the road by moving the barricades, thus increasing the chances of an accident.
“Every day, thousands of students use the bus stops which are present on both sides of the road. Due to lack of a zebra crossing, it becomes an everyday challenge for the students to cross the road,” says M. Chitradevi, professor, Civil Department of the Tamil Nadu Polytechnic College.
People echo that lack of regular police personnel at the junction has increased instances of traffic violations by the commuters.
“It has become an everyday challenge for the students and teachers to take a right turn to Madura College. The students are under constant fear that the speeding vehicles might harm them,” says J. Suresh, Principal, Madura College.
S. Chellapandian, Head of Department of Botany, Madura College, says that there is a need for a traffic police personnel at the junction during peak hours. “The police personnel are rarely present at the junction. There is a need for traffic personnel at the junction especially between 8.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m.,” he adds.
A traffic police officer said that it is the responsibility of the motorists to cooperate with the police in complying with the traffic rules. He also added that the work for installing metal barricades as median would commence in a week.
