Flyover, not ring road, touted to decongest Viraganur jn

Madurai: The state highways department has initiated work on the Viraganur–Sakkudi ring road to ease congestion at the busy Viraganur junction. The govt has sanctioned ₹55 crore for land acquisition, while a detailed project report (DPR) worth ₹190 crore is under preparation. However, traffic activists and commuters argue that the project will not adequately resolve the problem, as it primarily benefits vehicles bound for Sivaganga. The bulk of traffic through the junction is headed towards southern districts and Rameswaram via Ramanathapuram.Viraganur junction, where five arterial roads intersect, has long been a traffic bottleneck. Though a roundabout was constructed five years ago, the junction remains choked with heavy traffic, including by trucks heading to Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, and tourist vehicles bound for Rameswaram. The situation worsens during peak hours as commuters travel to Velammal Medical College and Hospital, the Keeladi museum, and several private colleges. TNSTC buses from Mattuthavani bound for southern districts also pass through this junction.Traffic activists maintain that a grade separator or flyover would have been a better solution. "Instead of spending nearly ₹240 crore on an alternate road, the govt should prioritise a grade separator or flyover at Viraganur. The roundabout is already overloaded, and every time a major political conference is held, traffic here grinds to a halt," said T Nageshwaran, a traffic activist.Commuters point out that the roundabout's design confuses outsiders, leading to frequent slowdowns and minor accidents. "The structure causes daily chaos. A flyover would directly address the problem," said M Kamaraj, a commuter.Highways department officials said the proposed road would run for eight kilometre from Vaigai river bank road, connecting the end of the northern river bank road near Viraganur to Sakkudi. "We are also working on another link road between the northern river bank road and Samayanallur, which will allow commuters from Dindigul and northern districts to reach Sivaganga without entering the city. This will reduce part of the Sivaganga-bound traffic at Viraganur," a senior SH official said.Officials conceded, however, that the project alone will not fully ease congestion at the junction. A flyover proposal was considered in 2022 but shelved after technical studies revealed that new pile foundations could affect the existing Viraganur river bridge on the Mattuthavani road. Building a six-lane flyover to avoid such interference would significantly escalate costs. "We are now exploring alternative options for a grade separator from one of the arms without affecting the bridge," the official added.