Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

A setback to road safety measures

By K. V. Prasad and V. S. Palaniappan

By K. V. Prasad and

V. S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE, FEB.10 . While much flak is directed at infrastructure planners and police over chaotic traffic, the latter find public resistance an obstacle to road safety measures. While there is no dispute over the assertion from various quarters that poor traffic management needs to be criticised, traffic managers say that public resistance cannot be condoned.

The police feel that their case is that of falling between two stools. There is public outcry over both accidents and enforcement of traffic rules. Frequent accidents led to condemnation of poor policing at busy intersections and school or college zones. But, all corrective measures are not appreciated either. One such instance occurred today on the Avanashi Road, a stretch the police have given top priority to accident prevention.

Blockade attempt

Residents of Ammankulam and the LML Nagar attempted a blockade on this road past noon to condemn the barricading of an opening in the median.

The residents demanded free flow of vehicles from and to their area through this opening. It in fact, caused accidents when vehicles suddenly emerged from cross roads and collided with the speeding ones on the main road.

As part of the safety measures launched early this week, police have barricaded such openings forcing motorists to take a `U' turn only at intersections. The police had already barricaded openings near the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry building and the Anna Statue. But, the public complain that to tide over manpower shortage, the police resort to indiscriminate barricading that makes a ride on Avanashi Road cumbersome. The police counter this saying that motorists want safety compromised to save a wee bit of fuel and time. The barricading of the opening near the Anna Statue had been done to stop lane violation by two-wheeler riders who speed across to a fast food outlet and departmental store. It had also served as an access to the Race Course Road. After the barricading, vehicles bound for Race Course and Redfields, from Gandhipuram, take the Huzur Road, K. G. Theatre and enter Race Course Road.

The blockade attempt today held up traffic for nearly half-an-hour triggering chaos over a one-km stretch on the Avanashi Road along which a number of educational institutions, hospitals and the airport are located. The police say they are not against openings for pedestrians wherever absolutely necessary. But it cannot be done for vehicles, as it would affect smooth flow of traffic. There will not be indiscriminate closing of openings. But, there cannot be too many over a short distance. An opening over a km is acceptable, say police officers in charge of traffic management. The rule is that there should be at least one opening for every two km.

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