The Hindu : Laying of service lanes going on at a snail's pace

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Laying of service lanes going on at a snail's pace

By S. Ganesan

TIRUCHI, MARCH 30 . While the Thennur road overbridge is likely to be thrown open to traffic permanently in the next few days after the completion of the blacktopping work, hurdles continue to impede the laying of service lanes along the bridge.

The bridge, recently thrown open to traffic on a trial basis, was closed last week for blacktopping. The work is likely to be completed before this month-end. The Public Works Department is also engaged in providing lighting over the bridge.

Meanwhile, work on laying the service lanes has been progressing at a snail's pace, especially on the Madurai Road stretch. A couple of dargahs, claimed to be encroachments by the authorities, continue to be the major impediments, with the trustees of one of them having obtained an injunction against the demolition of the structure.

The Highways department, which had taken up blacktopping on the service lanes on the Thennur Highway stretch, have left the work incomplete in certain stretches. Several manholes and sewage chambers have been left uncovered on this stretch and on Madurai Road as well.

Enquiries revealed that the concrete slabs covering the chambers and manholes were fragile, and caved in unable to withstand the weight of the road-laying equipment.

Uncovered sewage chambers with broken slabs near the Ramakrishna Theatre, Thennur Highway and Sivaprakasam Salai pose a threat to pedestrians and road-users. Already a child had fallen into one of the open chamber, but was rescued. Workers engaged in road laying say the Corporation, which had to repair and replace the cover slabs, was dithering.

Similarly, frequent bursting of a water pipeline on Madurai Road was causing delay in the laying of service lanes. Though a traffic island has been planned at the Marakkadai intersection, the ground is yet to be cleared. A police booth at the junction requires to be shifted. Construction of a pedestrian staircase alongside the bridge near the railway level crossing has also been moving slowly, to the inconvenience of road-users.

The authorities have failed to make much headway in acquiring the required land (on private negotiation) for providing a "bell-mouth" at the Anna Nagar Road-Shastri Road intersection, so as to allow two-way traffic beneath the bridge at the junction.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

`Mahamaham preparations should be documented'

Sanitation strategy pays off

Laying of service lanes going on at a snail's pace

Space sought for tuition centres for slum children

`Role of police has changed'

Around The City

In Tiruchi Today

Reader's Mail