The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Traffic snarls too common here

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Monday, May 19, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Traffic snarls too common here

Staff Reporter

Residents blame damaged culvert at Manaloorpettai Road

Photo D. Gopalakrishnan

Unattended: The culvert at Manaloorpettai Road junction was damaged over a couple of months ago. —

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Traffic snarls are witnessed often at Manaloorpettai Road owing to a damaged culvert, affecting the movement of heavy vehicles bound for Bangalore, Chengam, Krishnagiri, Kallakurichi, Thandarampattu and Sathanur Dam.

According to residents, the damaged culvert was left unattended for over a couple of months now. The Tiruvannamalai Municipality did not take interest in setting things right, the residents alleged.

Bad roads worsened the problems of commuters as Tiruvannamalai, , being a pilgrimage centre, witnesses huge flow of floating population.

The buses bound for Bangalore, Chengam, Krishnagiri, Kallakurichi, Thandarampattu, Tirupattur, Sathanur Dam and Puducherry were now routed through Tindivanam Road, Bypass Road, Villipuram Road, Thirukoilyur Road and then through Aduthotti Street, Kalkudurai Durgha Street, Mariamman Koil Street and Manaloorpettai Road before touching the Chengam Road. The Manaloorpettai Road, where the culvert was damaged, is one of the main residential areas, the residents said.

Before opening this route, the vehicles were allowed through Periyar Salai and Big Street. This was the shortest possible route to Chengam and other destinations.

Bus services via Big Street had been suspended recently owing to encroachments.

A private bus driver told The Hindu that the flow of vehicles through Manaloorpettai Road was heavy. Due to the damaged culvert, it took more time for the vehicles to cross Manaloorpettai Road. The vehicles burned up extra diesel, which ended up with the private bus operators incurring loss.

The private bus operators had to necessarily stick to the route chart given by the Transport Department.

District Collector Satyabrata Sahoo has asked the Municipality Engineer to attend to the problem.

The engineer has said that the damaged culvert would be repaired in 10 days.

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