Additional safety measures to prevent accidents at bridge work in Ambur

Enhanced safety measures and increased police presence aim to regulate traffic and prevent accidents on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway.

Additional safety measures including doubling of the existing police personnel have been taken up to regulate traffic at the on-going elevated corridor work on the Chennai - Bengaluru Highway (NH 44) in Ambur town near Tirupattur.

Tirupattur SP Shreya Gupta inspected accident prone spots and traffic congested points at the bridge work area on the highway in the early hours on Tuesday. Ms. Gupta’s visit comes after a 74-year-old woman was killed and six others injured when the SUV in which they were travelling rammed on the sidewall of the bridge on the highway near Vaniyambadi town. “Additional safety measures are aimed to prevent accidents especially during wee hours on the highway. These measures will also help to regulate traffic during rush hour,” said Ms. Gupta.

At present, 12 police personnel including women constables have been deployed to regulate traffic especially around Rajiv Gandhi junction on the highway. In addition, six constables from armed reserve have been roped to regulate traffic especially near bus terminus and railway stations along the highway.

In addition, police patrolling on the highway especially during night will be increased. Each team comprises at least one sub-inspector and two constables. They have to patrol at least 40-50 kms during the night. More patrol teams will help to reduce the total distance covered by at least 10-15 kms by each team.

Also, additional reflectors, speed markings, signages will also come up at identified accident prone spots on the highway. Ambulance spots will also be increased on the stretch to reduce time taken to reach accident spots. “Accidents especially during weekends remain a cause of concern in congested spots like Ambur and Vaniyambadi where jaywalking is frequent,” said Mohammed Aslam, a motorist.

Originally sanctioned in 2011, the elevated corridor is being built at a cost of Rs 135 crore between the Rajiv Gandhi statue and ORR Theatre in Ambur town. The location is one of the most accident-prone spots in the district owing to congested neighborhoods and public utilities like the Ambur bus terminus, a government hospital and a market being in the vicinity.

The new corridor will be 1,450-metre long and 11-metre wide (main carriageway) with a median. Service roads, 8-metre wide, will be built to facilitate movement of two-wheelers, auto rickshaws and cars. Storm water drains, high mast lamps, LED streetlights, reflectors and warning sign boards are among the other features that will come up on the corridor.