Residents of a host of residential colonies that dot Pollachi Road, from Athupalam to Eachanari, staged a protest at the Sundarapuram Sangam Street Junction on Sunday.
The residents and representatives of a few political parties who came under a common, non-political banner, said that they wanted the district administration, Highways Department and other departments concerned to take steps to widen the road, which had witnessed an increase in accidents in the recent past.
The residents demands were that the State Government should widen the stretch from Ukkadam to Eachanari and then erect barricades on the median; it should increase the running time for buses plying between Coimbatore and Pollachi so that the drivers do not rash drive and get involved in accidents; the authorities concerned should install street lights on both sides of the newly-constructed bridge in Eachanari; and, move bus shelters away from the road to facilitate smooth flow of traffic.
They also wanted encroachments removed.
Muthu Nagar resident A. Suresh Kumar said that the narrow width of the road forced two-wheeler riders to get off the road and when they do so, they lose balance, finding it difficult to negotiate the loose earth and fall victim to accidents.
Mr. Kumar also said that the district administration should take steps to have the bus stops moved away from the road as very little driving space was available when buses stopped at the shelters.
This also led to road accidents taking place when vehicles moving from behind the buses attempted overtaking manouvres.
He added that if the authorities concerned did not take favourable steps, the residents would intensify their protest.
The Coimbatore City Police said that they had removed 150 protestors, including 35 women, and had managed to restore traffic in a short while.
