Traffic diversion enforced on the Salai Road Junction in the city to facilitate the widening of a culvert of the Irrattai Vaical causes inconvenience to road users, especially at this festival season. Traffic snarls have become the order of the day at this vital intersection in the city.
While residents welcome the widening of it, the timing of the work has drawn criticism from motorists. A new culvert will replace the existing one to remove hurdles for free flow of storm water during monsoon.
Besides deepening the canal at the construction site, the culvert will be widened to increase the water flow capacity.
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The Tiruchi Corporation has planned to complete the work within 70 days from the start of construction.
It is being constructed at a cost of Rs.27 lakh.
The construction started on September 25 is expected to be completed in the first week of December.
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Since the work is being taken up on Salai Road, which is one of the busiest roads in the city, it has had its impact on vehicle movements in Thillai Nagar and Woraiyur. The police have enforced one-way traffic on Salai Road near the Shastri Road Junction in view of the construction. As per the traffic diversion plan, all Thillai Nagar and Woraiyur-bound buses and other vehicles are diverted via Thillai Nagar first Cross from Shastri Road, creating traffic congestion along the road.
Vehicles heading towards Mainguard Gate and Chathram Bus Stand from Thillai Nagar and Woraiyur often land in traffic snarls as they need to negotiate on a small space at the construction site. The traffic snarls become a nightmare for the motorists during the peak hours.
Most of the residents of Thillai Nagar, who were affected by storm water stagnation during rainy season, have welcomed the project. However, many of them are of the view that the project should not have been taken up at the festival season as it draws a large number of shoppers, causing congestion. Some of them question the rationale behind the timing when monsoon is likely to be started within a week from now.
“More vehicles are on roads as the shopping season reaches its peak. They feel the heat of traffic diversion in view of the culvert work on Salai road,” said a resident of Thillai Nagar.
A senior officer of the Tiruchi Corporation said that the project was planned to be taken up much earlier. The civic body had sought the city police to make alternative arrangements several months ago.
However, steps would be taken to complete the construction as early as possible, he said.