Barricades, signage to come up on Chennai-Bangalore Highway in Ambur to prevent accidents

Safety measures were decided a day after two sisters were killed when a container lorry hit their two-wheeler

Tirupattur Collector Amar Kushwaha inspects the accident spot on the Chennai-Bangalore Highway in Ambur town near Tirupattur on Friday.  | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Barricades, signage and reflectors will come up on the Chennai-Bangalore Highway (NH 48), covering a distance of around three km, in Ambur to prevent rash driving. A speed limit of less than 40 kmph, especially in the town area, will be enforced.

The measures were decided on Friday after two sisters were killed on the spot when a container lorry hit their two-wheeler from behind on the highway in Ambur on Thursday. A team of officials drawn from the Tirupattur district administration, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Departments of Revenue, Highways and Police inspected the accident spot.

“We have asked NHAI to put in place safety measures, like installation of barricades, to reduce speed on the route. A consultative meeting with all stakeholders will be held on Saturday,” Tirupattur Collector Amar Kushwaha, who inspected the spot, told The Hindu.

At present, there is heavy traffic congestion on the stretch, especially around Ambur town, mainly because of the ongoing work on an elevated flyover between the Rajiv Gandhi statue and ORR Theatre. The multi-crore project, being implemented by NHAI, is expected to be completed by March 2024. The work was originally sanctioned in 2011 at a cost of ₹30 crore.

With traffic diversion for facilitating the flyover work, the carriageway of the highway, for roughly one kilometre, in Ambur town remains congested round the clock. The Ambur bus terminus, schools, the government hospital and colleges are located along the highway.

As the widening of the storm water drain along the service lane is tardy, pedestrians and two-wheelers are forced to use the narrow carriageway of the highway. “More traffic policemen and signals will help to regulate traffic at Ambur junction. A proper traffic arrangement should be in place,” said Mohammed Irfan, a trader.

As a stop-gap measure, besides barricades and signage, more traffic policemen and patrol teams will be deployed to ensure compliance with the new traffic changes. Surprise checks will also be conducted on the drivers of long-distance vehicles. An alternative traffic arrangement, especially for light vehicles and pedestrians, will also be devised.