PERAMBALUR: A five-kilometre stretch of the Perambalur bypass road connecting Thanneerpandhal in Perambalur with Koneripalayam four-road junction in the district is dreaded by commuters as a lack of maintenance for about three years has left it with dangerous potholes and peeled off portions.
The stretch also is bereft of signage and road markings, add vehicle users. The road connecting Thanneerpandhal and Thuraiyur road that was laid about ten years ago to ease congestion woes in Perambalur town is used by hundreds of vehicles, including trucks and government buses, heading to various places like Salem, Namakkal, Ariyalur, Chidambaram and Chennai.
The 5.2-km stretch, which was under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), was handed over to the state highways department about three years ago. The latter until then was only in control of the remaining 2.7 km of the bypass.
The stretch, however, has not been maintained since, due to which it is now ridden with potholes and has seen the surface layer peel off. N Saravanan, a resident of Puthanampatti who often uses the bypass said, "It is a major stretch for heavy vehicles but it lacks adequate lighting, speed breakers, blinkers and road markings.
This makes it difficult to drive through at night. Sometimes we don’t spot the potholes, causing our vehicles to fall and suffer flats.” Further, the road is uneven for about five kilometres. Patchworks must at least be undertaken on the stretch.
Road markings must also be made and signboards should be placed at bends and junctions, he added. A Selvam, a truck driver from Perambalur, said, "Due to lack of signage, road users heading to areas like Thuraiyur and Attur are in confusion.” Narrating also of an account of a two-wheeler rider having dashed against his vehicle near Vadakkumadevi road while attempting to avoid potholes, he said,
“People have no option but to swerve sharply to avoid the potholes." When contacted, a senior official from the National Highways wing of the state highways department (Perambalur) said, "Several roads, including the Perambalur bypass, have been tendered for maintenance. The stretch (in question) will be repaired soon."