With the ongoing underground drainage works in the city dragging on, severe traffic congestion is putting motorists into hardship in several parts of Tiruchi City, especially on some of the arterial roads such as the Sivaprakasam Salai.
Also referred to as the Anna Nagar Main Road, it has emerged an important link road in the city as it connects the Shastri Road and the MGR Statue Junction near the District Court. A large number of mofussil buses enter and exit the city via this road. Being one of the very few roads with wide two-lane carriageways with centre medians, this is also the most favoured roads for commuters.
However, for more than six months now one of the two carriageways have remained closed for traffic to facilitate the execution of the underground sewer line works. Initially, the work was taken up on one of the carriageways, with traffic on both ways being accommodated on the other. Motorists heaved a sigh of relief as the work was completed, the road re-laid and opened for traffic. But their relief was short-lived as the UGD work began on the other carriageway leading to its closure.
With traffic being accommodated on one carriageway again now, motorists are faced with severe congestion, especially near the Ukkirakaliamman Temple-Science Park intersection.
The problem turns acute during peak hours, especially in the evenings, when a large number of people visit the temple, the park and the nearby hotels, parking their vehicles right on the roadside, complain residents and motorists.
Although one can find a police picket near the Ukkirakaliamman Temple intersection during evening hours, they hardly take any action against parking of vehicles, which impede the two-way traffic flow and causes frequent traffic snarls on the carriageway, they added.
Adding to the chaos, vehicles are diverted to go via narrow service lanes beneath the Thennur Road Overbridge and enter the Sivaprakasam Salai just before the Tangedco Office during school opening and close hours as a couple of schools are located at the Shastri Road intersection. The road stretch between the entrance of Anna Nagar and Ukkirakaliamman Temple is unmotorable, with the trenches not even covered entirely.
“The huge potholes make for a back breaking ride. The traffic police and the Corporation could at least ensure better coordination so that heavy vehicles are not diverted on roads which are not yet ready to accommodate traffic,” observed R.Gopal, a commuter. In recent days, a trench has been dug across the road near the Hindu Mission Hospital too, leaving just a narrow opening for vehicles to pass through on both directions.
“The Ukkirakaliamman Temple has grown in popularity of late and attracts a large number of devotees on Fridays and other auspicious days and heavy traffic congestion is witnessed at the intersection. The visitors have no option but to park the vehicles on the roadsides. Several vans, cars and tourist vehicles are illegally parked on other side between the kerosene bunk and the Hindu Mission Hospital. No action has been forthcoming from the police,” rued N.Jamaluddin, a consumer activist and resident of Anna Nagar.
Published - September 05, 2023 06:50 pm IST
