The condition of the narrow Kuzhumayi Amman Koil road along the Uyyakondan canal which has become one of the busy roads in the city, with the mushrooming of new residential colonies and a private school, has raised concerns over safety among road users.
The 10 feet road, which was originally formed several years ago by the Public Works Department to monitor the bund of the canal, has become a thoroughfare for citizens’ use. Though the road is relatively-free during normal times, it turns out be a nightmare for the motorists at the opening and closing time of Kamala Niketan Montessori School, where a large number of students study.
The road is wide enough to accommodate just one-way traffic. Motorists have to be cautious in negotiating vehicles coming in the opposite direction even during non-peak hours.
The road becomes jam-packed in the mornings and evenings with cars, vans, autos and two-wheelers converging in large numbers to drop or pick up students at the school. Vehicles, which come well before the school closing time, are invariably parked on roadsides, leaving little space for the movement of vehicles on the road. Moreover, the absence of space for turning vehicles makes life difficult for motorists. If a car is parked on a portion of the road, it ultimately leads to chaotic situation on the road.
During the opening and closing time, a lot of schoolchildren too use the road. This causes the drivers to slow down their vehicles. Traffic hold-ups near the school have become a regular feature.
But motorists say that they cannot be blamed for the mess as the road cannot accommodate large number of vehicles. Recently, the road has been dug up to bury underground cables, and no action has been taken to re-lay the road.
There were instances of near misses, where children were actually pulled off the road before being hit by vehicles. There were also occasions, where parents get into verbal confrontations over parking issues. “The road is used by hundreds of people daily. Many of them are children; officials are oblivious to the need to widen and repair the road expeditiously. A small act of negligence can create a huge problem for road-users,” cautioned a parent.
Citing the parking of cars and vans close to the bund of the canal, where water is currently flowing to the brim, another parent said there was an urgent need to raise the railings along the canal. Enough space must be given for parking and turning the vehicles.
Cross section of the motorists, who regularly use the road, said that authorities should ensure adequate space for the free movement of vehicles and pedestrians. All stakeholders, including officials of the district administration, Tiruchirappalli City Corporation, Traffic Police, and Revenue, should sit across the table to find a permanent solution, they said.
