With the Highways Department yet to widen the service road on Nanjappa Road, motorists face risks especially near the Park Gate junction.
The flyover on Nanjappa Road was opened for traffic use in 2017. Traffic coming towards Gandhipuram from Uppilipalayam and from Park Gate road and proceeding towards the flyover or to Gandhipuram converge near the junction. However, at the location the road has not been widened.
“The Highways Department says it has completed the entire flyover work on Nanjappa Road stretch. But, it has not widened the service roads. The space for the service road is now used by private people. They have dumped building materials, parked vehicles, or used for the road space for other purposes. It is the road users who suffer,” K. Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, says.
If the road was widened, especially near the junction, the space available for road users will increase. “It is the Department that proposed widening of the service road as part of the flyover project. However, it completed the flyover, has not removed the temples and has not widened the service road. It is the public who suffer because of this,” he said.
He urged the Department to widen the road immediately where there is space and mark the lanes.
An official of the Highways Department said the HR and CE Department should state its decision on relocation of two temples on Nanjappa Road. The service road will be widened soon as funds are available.