The damaged road in front of central prison is a nightmare for vehicle users

Vehicle users face danger and accidents on a badly damaged road near Palayamkottai Central Prison, with no repairs in sight.

Vehicle users crossing the badly damaged road in front of Palayamkottai Central Prison suffer a lot and some even meet with accidents as no steps have been taken to make this ‘danger zone’ motorable.

Even before the northeast monsoon began in October 2024, a 50-meter-long small stretch in front of the Palayamkottai Central Prison main entrance was damaged due to poor quality of laying. Since water would stagnate at this spot to create a pool even after a brief drizzle, pits were created by the heavy vehicles including a few hundred buses and the lorries using this road everyday.

Since the nearby manned level crossing is closed 14 times a day to ensure the safe passing of Tirunelveli – Tiruchendur Train and theTiruchendur – Chennai Chendur Express Train, this busy spot witnesses heavy traffic jam. This perennial traffic snarl gets worsened further due to this dangerously damaged road causing accidents.

“However, neither the Tirunelveli Corporation nor the Department of Highways is worried about the safety of the road-users. I witness at least five or six bike-riders falling everyday at this point due to this damaged road. A woman bike-rider suffered fracture in her hand as she lost balance and fell down after her bike hit a crater. Even though the videos showing the accidents being caused by this damaged road are shared on social media, the official machinery is no mood to repair the road,” says K. Muppidathi, an autorickshaw driver operating from Kulavanigarpuram area.

The vehicle users also point-out the road damaged between NGO Colony intersection and Tuckerammalpuram which has increased the number of accidents on this 3 km-long stretch.

“The pits developed in this stretch after the recent rains cause bike accidents everyday between NGO Colony and Tuckerammalpuram. The road dug at Reddiyarpatti Road intersection for laying communication cables has not been properly re-laid. Consequently, the number of accidents involving bikes, particularly after the dusk, has increased. We’ve informed our higher-ups about this dangerous development,” said a police constable attached to the Tirunelveli City Traffic Investigation Wing.

Senior officials attached to Tirunelveli Corporation and the police department said they had alerted the Department of Highways to repair this seriously damaged spot at the earliest as the seasonal rains have almost stopped. “The Department of Highways have agreed to repair it once the rains have stopped completely,” said a police officer, who was clueless regarding repairing of the damaged road near the railway track.