DHARMAPURI: Commuters travelling between Dharmapuri and Pennagaram State Highways (SH 60) have urged the administration to take steps to improve road marking and improve visibility along the road.
The Dharmapuri - Pennagaram road is one of the key highways leading out of Dharmapuri connecting crucial towns like Pennagaram, Hogenakkal, Papparapatti, Palacode and. The Dharmapuri New bus stand also lies along this road and around 7,000 people visit the bus stand for daily commute everyday. Despite being one of the busiest roads in the district, the road offers poor visibility causing distress to commuters especially in the early and late hours of the day. Hence, commuters are urging the state highways department to improve the road markings, set up blinkers or post reflective stickers and improve road visibility.
Speaking to TNIE, J Manikandan from Dharmapuri said, "The SH 60 road near the old bus stand has zero visibility at night. Oftentimes, because of the narrow roads many drivers cannot distinguish the road as there is no marking. The traffic flow in the road is also chaotic and even heavy vehicles travel along the one way wrongfully, causing panic. The street lights are also active only till the Hogenakkal bypass junction. The path to the bus stand has no street lights or any other form of visibility, making the journey at night tedious."
Another resident, K Selvam from Kumarasamipettai said, "Up until Kumarasamipettai, the municipality has ensured street lights and road markings. But beyond the Kumarasamipettai Railway overbridge, the visibility drastically reduces. In the Hogenakkal bypass junction, there is no traffic regulation. So, vehicles especially two wheelers, move unrestrained flouting traffic rules."
When TNIE spoke to officials in the state highways department, they said, "We have not received any complaint on this issue, but will investigate the concerns."