With the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Integrated Bus Terminus becoming operational last month, a few road intersections along the Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway section and the Thuvakudi-Panjapur Bypass Road have emerged as traffic hotspots, raising concerns over the lack of adequate safety measures.

With a large number of town and mofussil buses operating from the bus terminus having to take a sharp U-turn close to the Saranathan Engineering College campus, speeding motorists headed towards Tiruchi from Madurai are often caught unawares and are forced to apply the brakes sharply.

Although the police have placed barricades to force vehicles to slow down and go in a zig-zag pattern at the U-turn, the near continuous traffic of buses has turned the spot into a dangerous stretch, say commuters.

“After the opening of the IBT, there is a continuous stream of town and mofussil buses taking a U-turn here, not only impeding the through traffic on the Tiruchi-Madurai and Madurai-Tiruchi carriageways but also putting two wheeler riders at risk as they are pushed to the edges of the highway to give way to the heavy vehicles,” observed Gopal, a resident of Manikandam.

Motorists also point out that the Thuvakudi- Panjapur bypass road intersection on the Tiruchi-Madurai National highway has also turned into a high-risk stretch, following increase in volume of traffic. This is a four-road junction with a Madurai Road from the City also joining the highway here. Several vehicles cross over the highway at this intersection. Temporary barricades are in place here again to force motorists to slow down at the intersection.

Absence of street lights on the highway stretch accentuates the problem during nights, complain motorists.

In recent days, residents of Olaiyur situated along the Thuvakudi-Panjapur Bypass section have expressed apprehensions over the possibility of accidents due to speeding vehicles and demanded the construction of a vehicular underpass near their village.

Emphasising the need for enhancing road furniture such as signboards, caution lights, blinkers etc., to improve safety on the vulnerable stretches, P. Ayyarappan, member, District Road Safety Council, however, felt that expeditious construction of the proposed elevated corridor on the stretch by the National Highways Authority of India would be the only permanent solution. District and city corporation authorities too contend that the problems would be overcome once the elevated corridor comes up to cater to the through traffic on the highway. But construction of the elevated corridor could take at least a couple of years.

“Until the project is executed, road furniture should be strengthened on the stretch. The NHAI should consider providing lighting along the stretch to ensure safety of motorists during the night hours, The City police should form a separate team to regulate traffic around the IBT,” Mr. Ayyarappan said.