COIMBATORE: As Tamil Nadu's longest flyover - the Avinashi Road elevated corridor in Coimbatore - nears its inauguration, social activists and locals have raised concerns about the illegal night races and over speeding.
Several motorists in the city say that existing flyovers have already become hotspots for speeding and reckless stunts, and fear the new 10.1 km stretch could turn into a "race track" for miscreants once it opens.
The four-lane flyover, stretching from Uppilipalayam to Goldwins, was launched in December 2020 by the State Highways Department's Special Projects Wing at a sanctioned cost of Rs 1,791.22 crore. Designed with service roads, pedestrian paths, and stormwater drains, the project is expected to ease the city's notorious traffic snarls. The inauguration by Chief Minister MK Stalin is tentatively scheduled for October 9.
However, residents worry about safety after dark. "On the Trichy Road and Ukkadam flyovers, I've seen bikers race past in the middle of the night. They rev engines, perform wheelies, and put others at risk. If this happens on a 10 km flyover, the danger will be tenfold," said V Krishna, a taxi driver who commutes from Peelamedu.
Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary and district road safety committee member K Kathirmathiyon urged strict preventive measures. "Just like in Kerala, cameras must be installed at regular intervals. This allows police to calculate average speed between cameras and penalise offenders. Without such systems, illegal racing will flourish," he said, adding that he would raise the issue at the upcoming road safety committee meeting.
Locals say mere cameras may not be enough. "We need constant patrolling, especially after 10 p.m.," said R Shanmugam, an autorickshaw driver. "Street racers don't just endanger themselves, they endanger families returning from the airport or hospital late at night."
The Highways Department confirmed that surveillance cameras will be fitted along the corridor. "These cameras will help curb speeding and alert police to any unauthorised races," an official said. With the grand opening weeks away, authorities face mounting pressure to balance infrastructure pride with public safety.