Tiruchendur to get two bypass roads to mitigate perennial traffic congestion

The coastal town of Tiruchendur, which is experiencing chaotic traffic jam everyday due to narrow roads and encroachments, will get two bypass roads, Minister for PWD and Highways E.V. Velu has said.

Chairing a meeting held here on Friday to review the performance of his departments, Mr. Velu said Tiruchendur would get a new road to connect Thoothukudi Road and Valli Cave and another road to connect Ayyavazhi Temple and Kanniyakumari Road to mitigate the perennial traffic congestion. As the official had been asked to prepare the project report for these two roads, the Collector would get the environmental clearance for this project.

The sharp increase in the number of vehicles had also jacked-up the number of road accidents in Tamil Nadu, in which 14,912 persons including 390 persons in Thoothukudi district, had lost their lives during last year. While the Tamil Nadu government was taking care of the accident victims for the first 48 hours by admitting them in the government hospitals, the departments of highways, transport, education, public health and police should join hands to create awareness among the public on preventing road accidents by following road safety rules.

While the police should take stringent action against those violating road safety rules like overloading, riding bikes without helmets, three riding on a two-wheeler etc. the public should cooperate with the law-enforcers, who should not give room for any compromise in enforcing the rules.

The Minister informed that 400 engineers of Department of Highways were being trained in preventing accidents to be posted in all the districts.

When asked about the inordinate delay in completing the road laying work at Meelavittaan Rail Over Bridge on Thoothukudi – Madurai Bypass Road, the Minister said it would be completed by July this year while informing that the repairing of the Vallanaadu Bridge on Thoothukudi – Palayamkottai 4-laneNational Highway would commence shortly.

Mr. Velu also said his department had written letter to the National Highways Authority of India to ensure one tollgate for every 60 km as per norms and to remove the excess tollgates. “Since we’re identifying the excess tollgates across Tamil Nadu, we’ll soon send this detail to the NHAI to remove them,” he said.

Mr. Velu also held discussion with representatives of bus, lorry, van and autorickshaw owners’ associations, road safety advisory committee members and volunteers about the steps to be taken in ensuring safer roads in Thoothukudi district.

Ministers Anita R. Radhakrishnan and P. Geetha Jeevan, Collector K. Senthil Raj, Mayor Jegan Periyasamy, MLAs Oorvasi S. Amirtharaj (Srivaikundam), G.V. Markandeyan (Vilaathikulam) and M.C. Shanmugaiah (Ottapidaaram), Chief Engineer, Department of Highways, R. Chandrasekaran and others participated in the review meeting.