No signboards on speed limit in city

On many roads, vehicles are found over-speeding, creating panic among other road users, writes L. Srikrishna

Absence of signboards displaying speed limit restrictions on arterial roads in the city is posing a problem to road users. “Of late, even slow moving vehicles are going fast,” say those who follow road safety rules.

Nowadays two-wheelers, four-wheelers and even autorickshaws and share autorickshaws are fitted with hi-speed engines. On many well-laid roads, many of these vehicles are found over-speeding, creating panic among other road users. Pedestrians and old people are the worst affected owing to such rash and negligent driving.

But what baffles one is the absence of signboards on speed limit, normally put up by the traffic police. Hence one wonders on what basis police impose fines on motorists for over-speeding when there is no indication to the speed limit. It is a common sight to see motorists going at high speed on broad roads in Madurai such as New Natham Road, Alagarkoil Road, KK Nagar Main Road, Anna Nagar Main Road, Melur Road among others on the northern side of the Vaigai and Bypass Road, Travellers' Bungalow Road and TPK Road on the southern side.

Though many among these stretches have been identified as “accident prone,” there are no speed limit boards on any of these roads.

Traffic police officers, while admitting that there were no sign boards displaying speed restriction, were evasive in their response. However, they recommended that within the city, vehicle users should go at 30 km speed/hour. At locations such as Goripalayam intersection, motorists should not go beyond 20 kmph. The planning wing in the Traffic police was normally entrusted with the responsibility of such tasks of putting up speed limit, no entry and one-way boards, they said.

No horn zones

An official in the Transport Department said that they had identified 35 points in the city as “no horn zone,” which include Panagal Road on which Government Rajaji Hospital is situated, Aravind Eye Hospital area, on East Veli Street near Mission Hospital and near Meenakshi Mission Hospital on Melur Road. Though there is a ban on use of air horn within city limits, drivers of TNSTC and educational institutions ignore it, he says.