COIMBATORE: As people are forced to wait in traffic signals for a long duration on the Chinthamanipudur junction near the Neelambur (L&T) highway road, the State Highways Department officials have widened the road as a temporary measure.
The Chinthamanipudur junction is a vital junction in the district where two of the major National Highway roads including NH 544 and 81 intersect with each other. Lately, as the junction has been witnessing a staggering amount of traffic congestion, motorists are forced to wait for long durations at the signals, leading to people demanding a bridge on Neelambur Highways Road.
Though the road safety wing of the highways department along with the police department, and district administration introduced a roundabout at the junction, several months ago to reduce traffic congestion, the trial run failed as long vehicles such as container trucks and 16-wheel trucks were unable to turn in the roundabout.
Hence, the officials removed the temporary structure and resumed with traffic signals. As the traffic congestion at the junction was rising at a staggering pace, people were forced to wait for a long time in the signals. Given this, officials widened the carriageway of the Coimbatore-Trichy NH Road (NH81).
G Manuneethi, Divisional Engineer of the State Highways Department (Road Safety), told TNIE, “We have now widened the carriageway of the Coimbatore-Trichy NH Road by four metres after demolishing the traffic islands. With this, the main carriageway has now been widened from 7 metres to 11 metres. Earlier, motorists were waiting in the signals on two lanes and as a result, they were forced to wait in two signals back-to-back.
However, now after the widening works, vehicles are waiting in three lanes and vehicles proceed quickly after the green signal. This change at the junction has received a good response from the people as well as the police who manage the traffic.”
He added that they are planning on introducing 2 roundabouts on the Neelambur NH Road, with each roundabout measuring 30 metres in diameter.
“Earlier, we had one big roundabout which failed. Now, we are planning on two small roundabouts, one towards Palakkad and another towards Salem Road. There is a culvert on the Palakkad Road which needs to be widened using precast structures. We are planning on getting CSR funds and executing the project. Once we get the nod from the district collector, we shall start our work,” he further added.