Ten days after its commissioning, teething problems in using the elevated corridor on New Natham Road are surfacing one by one.
Lack of signage and smaller signboards are posing danger to the motorists as people unaware of right directions climb up the bridge through wrong lanes or ramps. “On Sunday evening, a family of four was seen happily riding a motorbike towards Oomachikulam on the wrong lane,” said a taxi driver. They should have climbed up through the wrong ramp, either at Tallakulam or near Corporation office.
Driver of any speeding vehicle could be caught unawares on the access controlled bridge and hit those coming on wrong lane,” a police officer said. Madurai City police have deployed a traffic patrol vehicle exclusive to patrol the 7.3-km elevated corridor.
“We have asked the team members to advise those taking wrong ramps or lanes about the danger. No one is allowed to stop the vehicles on the bridge to take photographs or selfies,” Deputy Commissioner of Traffic S. Arumugasamy said.
However, another police officer said that placing right sign oards of “No-entry” on the two ramps to climb down the bridge in the city side would help those who are not familiar with traffic signage.
Similarly, road users are complaining about bikers taking wrong turns after climbing up the ramp at Iyer Bungalow and Tiruppalai. “Since there is no signage on the bridge on the permitted flow of traffic, people tend to go in all directions,” complained doctor Muthuvel Rajan.
Meanwhile, an official from National Highways Authority of India said that closed circuit television cameras have been installed in few places on the elevated corridor. In another 10 days, the entire bridge would be covered by CCTVs. “The incident management unit of NHAI will monitor the screens of these CCTVs and respond to people who are in distress like accident or breakdown,” he added. A patrol vehicle and ambulance are available with the NHAI to respond to the situation.
Efforts are underway to put up maximum number signage on the bridge and also on the approach roads of the bridge to guide road users to the right ramp for climbing up, he added.
