COIMBATORE: After several attempts to install permanent height barriers to prevent heavy vehicles from accessing subways, the city police with support from the railway department, have installed a strong height barrier at the Lanka Corner underpass from the Big Bazaar Street side. The initiative aims to safeguard the structure from damage caused by heavy vehicles ramming into it. With a barrier present on the other side of the underpass, a barrier has been fixed at the Big Bazaar street side.
While only a few railway and highway underpasses and elevated subways in the city already have raised barriers, many do not. After the issue was brought to light by TNIE, the city traffic police began installing height barriers in a few underpasses to prevent accidents and traffic congestion caused by loaded trucks.
However, height barriers installed by police on Brooke Bond Road (at the entrance of the Avinashi Road Old Flyover underpass) and on Big Bazaar Street (in front of Lanka Corner railway underpass) were damaged by vehicles due to poor quality. In response to this, police requested the railways and highways deoartments to install durable height barriers which meet proper standards. As a result, a new height barrier was constructed with heavy metal rods at Lanka Corner underpass.
A senior police officer said, “The city traffic police is concerned about traffic snarls caused by heavy vehicles getting stuck in underpasses and took steps to install height barriers at entrances of subways to prevent vehicles from being stuck. We have involved concerned departments with necessary expertise and resources for such installation. Work to install height barriers at all underpasses is on.”