TIRUCHY: A seven-kilometre stretch of the Tiruchy-Thanjavur national highway between Ariyamangalam and Thiruverumbur is not only transforming into a prominent commercial hub in Tiruchy but is also gaining notoriety for pedestrian deaths. Bereft of foot overbridge or a subway, and with crossings spread “long” apart, pedestrians in the stretch often can be found scaling the median to reach the other side of the highway quickly.
While several restaurants, textile and home appliance showrooms, and religious and educational institutions dot either side of the stretch of NH83, the lack of pedestrian subways and foot overbridges has become cause for a spate of pedestrian deaths in the route. A case in point is a 27-year-old pedestrian dying from electrocution after touching a live wire of a street light pole while allegedly scaling the highway median near Thiruverumbur last month.
The stretch having eight bus stops has a few median openings only where interior roads join the highway. "To find a median opening would mean a 10-minute walk so people prefer to jump over the road. I have no hope of pedestrian bridges coming up as the very roads are poorly maintained," said Kasim of Kamarajar Nagar in Ariyamangalam. Yuvi Kishore of Kattur said, “As this is a national highway, new users often don't know where the median crossings are, leading to accidents."
Complaints also abound of “inadequate” median openings giving vehicle users an excuse for driving on the wrong side, exacerbating the risk for pedestrians in densely populated areas like Kattur during peak hours. Sumathy, a pushcart vendor near Malaikovil bus stop, said, "People walking down to the bus stop have to cover a long distance before they can cross the highway. Out of laziness, they jump over the median. As this area is not as congested compared to other areas on the stretch, vehicles usually travel at high speed, increasing the risk for pedestrians and commuters, especially at night."
When contacted, a police official at the Kattur check post on the NH, told TNIE, "While we regularly remind people not to jump over the median, we keep vigil to ensure that pedestrians safely cross the highway by regulating vehicular movements for a while. Many traffic personnel are stationed at the turns to ensure smooth traffic flow and safety of both pedestrians and vehicle users."