THOOTHUKUDI: The public have urged the authorities to repair a damaged high mast light on the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli NH, located in front of the collectorate premises, citing safety concerns and disruption to traffic movement.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is currently constructing a flyover on the Thoothukudi–Tirunelveli NH to facilitate uninterrupted traffic flow to the collectorate complex, which houses key offices including the district police office, forest department, agriculture office, regional transport office (RTO) and the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
Due to the ongoing construction, traffic has been diverted through service roads on either side of the highway.
This has resulted in heavy congestion, especially during peak hours, on the stretch between Korampallam and the FCI godown.
Amid this, the high mast light in front of the collectorate has remained non-functional for several weeks, leaving the area poorly lit.
Commuters said the darkness poses serious risks to pedestrians and bus passengers attempting to cross the road. The lack of proper lighting has reportedly led to several minor accidents and near-misses.
A government employee said she regularly boards a bus to Tirunelveli from the service road in the evening but finds it extremely difficult due to poor visibility.
With lorries and buses plying on the narrow service roads, commuters’ lives are at risk, she added.
Larens, a resident, said women and elderly persons find it particularly difficult to cross from one service road to another.
The highway witnesses continuous movement of trucks, container lorries, buses and cars, which, combined with darkness, threatens the safety of people waiting or crossing the road, he said.
When contacted, NHAI officials said the high mast light would be repaired at the earliest.