TIRUCHY: Alarmed at pedestrians darting through speeding traffic, activists and vehicle users on the Chennai Trunk Road between Thiruvanaikoil and Number 1 Tollgate check post in Tiruchy seek urgent measures like installation of handrails or increasing the height of the median along the busy stretch to reduce the risk of accidents.
TA Subash Chandar, a member of the Tiruchy Intra-City Development Endeavours (TIDES), pointed to the absence of safety railings on the median of the road. In the absence of a secure crossing route, many are left to dodge swift-moving vehicles in the stretch, placing themselves in constant danger, he said.
“This apart the overgrown plants on the median spill on to the road, narrowing the carriageway and reducing visibility for both drivers and pedestrians. This creates a dual hazard -- compromised visibility and unsafe crossing conditions.
So, installing handrails along the median and pruning the vegetation will significantly enhance safety and traffic flow on this arterial road,” Subash said. S Pandiyan, a private company employee who travels daily between Number 1 Tollgate and Vayalur stressed that crossing the stretch of the road, especially during morning hours, is “highly risky”.
“With numerous commercial establishments on either side of the road, pedestrians and shop employees frequently cross the road at multiple points, as the median is only about half a foot high,” he explained. “Although no major accidents have occurred so far, the jaywalking by pedestrians poses a serious threat to vehicular traffic, especially for two-wheeler riders.
This often results in minor accidents, followed by arguments or scuffles,” Pandiyan added. When contacted, a senior official from the state highways department stated that medians built outside city limits typically are two to three feet high, as vehicles move in high speed. However, within city limits, including the Trunk Road, the median height is restricted to 23 cm, the official said.
"Wherever the state highway passes through urban areas, we maintain the median at a height of 23 cm. To discourage people from crossing over, we plant flowering shrubs or other vegetation. Therefore, there is currently no regulation that requires the median to be raised," the official added.