The highways authorities have been widening roads on broad stretches in the city and extension roads and constructing medians along some other roads on a “select” basis giving little clue to the tax-payers about the developments. While a majority of road users welcomed the step, some have expressed concern.
What has irked the road users is the sudden halt of the works. Public have complained that freak accidents occurred near Meenakshi Mission Hospital junction where the widening work had been abruptly stopped. In fact, a cyclist died near ICICI Bank’s KK Nagar branch where the road widening work had been stopped suddenly for some days now.
Unmindful of the pedestrians’ safety, contractors have not put up caution boards like ‘go slow’ signs or ‘work in progress.’
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For strangers driving in the city is a horrifying experience as many during nights have a fall or narrowly escape without falling into pits after applying sudden brakes.
On Ayyar Bungalow road stretch, a median is coming up near the traffic signal. It is chaos both in the morning and evening hours, especially, in the absence of traffic police, according to Ramesh, a shopkeeper in the area.
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While the contractor has allegedly taken over one side of the road and blocked it, vehicle users are forced to use the other side for two-way traffic.
Heavy vehicles, particularly Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses and school buses, find the going tough as other vehicles in a hurry occupy the little space and halt movement, he adds.
Two days ago, a two-wheeler rider, aged about 50 years, fell into a pit, dug by a contractor near Meenakshi Mission Hospital junction.
“The pit, which measured one foot deep, had been dug to widen the road. But, there was no caution board or a reflector to alert the rider…,” said Abdul, a coconut vendor. Senior officials in highways department preferred not to talk as they said the model code of conduct was in place.
The tender was awarded to contractors before the MCC came into force.
Due to non-availability of some materials, the works got delayed, they claimed.
After a study was done by the police on select stretches, it was proposed to build medians to regulate vehicles.
They assured that the contractor concerned would be pulled up, if any complaint was lodged.