MADURAI
Increasing number of accidents has been reported recently on the road stretch between Park Town and Mattuthavani, being laid by the State Highways department on either side of a Public Works Department channel. Vehicle users complain that absence and inconsistency in the height of parapet at many places – where it is constructed – along the channel pose a threat to them.
As part of road widening work, the PWD had reduced the width and increased the depth of the channel, which runs for nearly 3.4 kilometres from Park Town to Moondrumavadi.
The main problem is that at many places the road goes down and rises and is not on the same level as the channel. In places where the road is well above the channel level, there is no parapet.
M. Kumaran, owner of a shop near Iyer Bungalow junction, said last Sunday night a two-wheeler rider accidentally fell into the channel near a sluice on Uchaparambumedu Road. “I and some people immediately rescued him, who suffered a fracture in his leg,” he said.
Similarly, a car fell into the channel near Kannanenthal junction in the night time a couple of days back, said M. Ramalingam, owner of a two-wheeler workshop on Kannendhal Main Road. “As road widening work is in progress, a single lane of the road is used for two-way traffic. The car slipped into the channel when another vehicle tried to overtake it. A crane was used to lift the car from the channel,” he said.
The residents along the stretch said a large number of cattle heads and two-wheelers fell into the channel.
Adding to the problem is the poor illumination on the stretch. Lamp posts are being relocated for road widening. “At night, it becomes very tough for vehicle users to see the channel,” said K. Ramesh, a regular commuter through the stretch.
To avoid further accidents, a parapet should be constructed uniformly on both sides of the channel throughout the stretch, said S.P. Maharajan, an advocate who regularly uses the stretch.
However, when contacted, officials of the State Highways department and the PWD started blaming each other and said it was the responsibility of the other department to construct the parapet.
“As residents, we don’t know who is responsible for constructing the parapet. But, we want the officials to take steps to make travel on the road safer,” said Mr. Maharajan.
