Poor road safety poses danger near Velu Nachiyar flyover

Madurai: The Gomathipuram Sixth Main road junction near the Velu Nachiyar flyover has become an accident-prone spot as speeding vehicles leaving the flyover join traffic. Many vehicles entering the Velu Nachiyar bridge near the Aavin parlor and travelling towards Pandi Kovil travel at great speed after crossing Gomathipuram Sixth Main Road, resulting in many accidents at the junction of Sivagangai Main Road. Even on Friday, a man was killed after a two-wheeler collided with a town bus there.D Raghavan, the president of the Gomathipuram resident's welfare association, said residents have been requesting officials to implement safety measures on the stretch. "A speed breaker needs to be installed on Sivaganga Road to reduce the speed of the vehicles going towards Pandi Kovil." While there is a speed breaker on the other side of the road, there was no white marking, making some commuters apply the brakes suddenly and contributing to the traffic issues on the road, he added.Another issue is illegal parking on the road. "Cameras need to be installed to deter motorists from parking their vehicles on Sivaganga Main Road," Raghavan said. He added that clearly marked pedestrian crossings and reflective road studs are needed on the road.A corporation official said they are in talks with the highways department to resolve the issues in the area. "Along with the markings to increase road safety, we will put up no-parking signs and take action against illegal parking on the road," the official said and added that work was slow due to the assembly election, but it will be completed at the earliest.