MADURAI
A number of motorists using the AV bridge and the Yanaikkal bridge to commute between the north and the south banks of Vaigai river say that the travel is consistently arduous. With too many potholes, the State Highways department and the Corporation are yet to act, they say.
A source from the traffic wing says that at least 4,000 passenger cars ply between the stretch during peak hours. Most vehicles on the north bank arrive from Mattuthavani through KK Nagar and the Alagarkoil outpost to reach Goripalayam. Others use New Natham road and Panagal road, the source says.
From the south, most vehicles arrive from North and East Veli streets.
At evening and night, a number of lorries uses the stretch to reach the fruit market in Simmakkal which is yet to move into its new space adjacent to Mattuthavani’s central vegetable market.
A.C. Rajan, a motorist, says that evening and night travel becomes difficult as it is hard to navigate through the potholes there.
“Though potholes have been present on these bridges for many months — almost a year now — nothing has changed. The situation has become far worse recently. The potholes now resemble craters,” he says.
A senior official from the State Highways department says that patchwork on AV bridge will be completed within two days. He, however, says that permanent solutions have not yet been drawn.
There has not been any attempt to improve the overall maintenance of the bridge yet, he says. City Engineer S. Arasu attributes the bad roads to the rain. He says that an estimate has already been prepared to fix the potholes and work will begin on Monday.