TIRUCHY: It is not the quality of life they complain about, but the insensitivity of town planners riles them to no end. Hundreds of visually impaired persons settled in tenements built by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board at Theeranma Nagar and a settlement at Gandhi Nagar, have had a brush with death almost every day for the past 18 years trying to cross the road. For, the settlements areclose to the Tiruchy-Madurai National Highway and there is no foot over bridge or subway to cross the busy road.
A majority of the 700 visually impaired persons in the two settlements travel at least 10 km to the city and also to various other districts for work. A few of them work in private companies, while others sell incense sticks, soaps, cleaning products and other items for a living. They have to cross the highway to take a bus or some mode of transport.
Believing in safety in numbers, they cross the road in a group, all the while gripped by fear of getting knocked down. Many of them have suffered fractures and injuries. At least ten persons died while crossing the road over the last eight years.
R Saravanan, who works as office assistant, said, “We cannot cross the road without someone’s help. Sometimes nobody turns up to help us and we have to cross the road on our own so we can catch buses.”
K Marisamy (50) is one of the lucky ones in the group. His wife is normal and helps him cross the road. “I am lucky as my wife guides me, but there are many couples who are visually challenged.”
R Kaliyamurthy, State executive member of the National Federation of the Blind, said “The families of those who died in accidents were unable to make ends meet and moved to their native places. Families of those injured are suffering financially.”S Kuppusamy (52) was hit by a car in 2013 and it took months for him to recover. “I cannot walk or sit properly because of the fractures I suffered. We submitted petitions several times to district collectors demanding bridge or subway, but no solution has been provided yet,” he said.
J Muthulakshmi (50) showed her crooked arm, the result of an accident a few years ago and said, “After the accident, whenever I go near to the road, I am afraid of vehicles. The fear will never go away.”
An NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) official said, “After studying traffic flow and the number of people crossing the road at the point, road experts have suggested an underpass is necessary. Based on this, we have sent a proposal which is being processed. An underpass may come up there within a year.”