Bridge proposed to decongest key route to Madurai airport

Madurai: The 300-metre-long overbridge that connects South Gate and Villapuram, a key route connecting the city with Madurai airport, has been chocking with heavy traffic for years. Now, a solution seems to be in sight with State Highway planning to construct a new bridge parallel to the existing one.SH officials said the proposed bridge will extend from Southgate Junction to Jeyavilas. The present road from Jeyavilas to Avaniyapuram Bypass will be converted into a four-lane way. Land acquisition for the project is expected to cost Rs 220 crore. The bridge constructed in 1989 has been facing bottlenecks at both ends, particularly during peak hours. "The only time the bridge is free from traffic is before 7am and after 11pm, it is congested for the remaining time," said S Asrif Khan, a cab driver who frequently takes trips to the airport. "Sometimes, it takes nearly 10 minutes to cross the bridge. Most of the time, I see the bridge congested, and it is riskier to overtake cars," he said, adding that widening the bridge will help reduce congestion.Muruganandham P, a resident of Villapuram Housing Board and a share auto driver since 2012, said, "I see heavy traffic from 10am to 11.30am and 7pm to 8pm. If any vehicle breaks down or stops, we cannot move an inch on the bridge," he said. "I take regular trips to Madurai railway junction, but due to heavy traffic, I have to take an alternate route 2km longer via Jaihindpuram to reach the railway junction," he added.S K Lingam, who has been riding an auto for nearly 30 years, said that irrespective of peak hours, most of the time they witnessed huge traffic jams. J Hakkim, a resident of Villapuram, demanded that a new bridge be built to ease the traffic flow or alternative arrangements be made to ease traffic. During local festival time, the bridge is packed with devotees, and a huge jam for nearly one to two hours will be seen. The highway official said the condition of the present bridge is good except for the railing, and it is safe for traffic. "So, there is no need for demolition of that bridge when a new parallel one comes," he added.