Motorists brave bumpy rides as sewer line works drag on

Tiruchi's Sivaprakasam Salai, an important link road, has been closed for 6 months due to UGD works, leading to severe traffic congestion. Motorists face hardship near the Ukkirakaliamman Temple-Science Park intersection, with vehicles diverted to narrow service lanes. Potholes and trenches impede traffic flow, with no action taken against illegal parking. Residents urge better coordination to ease congestion.

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.