The 243-km long four-lane national highway between Kanniyakumari and Madurai has become a death trap for motorists.
When national highways are not maintained even after frequent fatal accidents, it is only legal intervention that has compelled the official machinery to ensure safety of motorists by maintaining these express thoroughfares.
Only after an advocate took up the matter regarding the Madurai – Tiruchi stretch with the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, the National Highways Authority of India made it motorable and safe.
However, the stretch between Madurai and Kanniyakumari lies neglected though road-users pay hefty toll at four places – Nanguneri, Kayathar, Sattur and Kappalur.
The upper layer is damaged in many places on the 243-km-long stretch resulting in constant vibration. Wherever the damage is more, the deep craters result in accidents.
“The stretch has not been properly maintained for reasons best known to the officials concerned though heavy toll is being promptly collected from the users. Since, money collected is not being properly utilized, approaching the court for a legal remedy for this problem is inevitable,” says advocate D. A. Prabakar of Palayamkottai, also a consumer welfare protection activist.
Another major threat the motorists face is from public who have broken the concrete median in many places so that they can enter the other side of the road on their bikes instead of ‘unnecessarily travelling’ for a distance to take a ‘U’ turn. This has resulted in many fatal accidents.
Though contract has been awarded for maintaining the greenery planted along the concrete separator to avoid the headlight glare of oncoming vehicles in the night, poor maintenance has led to the death of many plants.
During rainy season, the stretch becomes a death trap as rainwater can be seen stagnating at the beginning and end of the flyover. This had resulted in two major accidents near the Kovaneri bridge near Valliyoor but yet the problem has not been rectified.
Project Director, NHAI – Madurai Division, V. Saravanan said ₹ 5,000 crore contract for relaying and maintaining the 500 km stretch up to Kanniyakumari stretch had been awarded to a Singapore-based company in November 2019 and the work should have commenced by April.
“Due to the lockdown, the company, which will execute this contract on Toll, Operate and Transfer (TOT) basis, could not mobilize its men and material for the work. So this is only a temporary delay and the work will start soon once the situation improves,” Mr. Saravanan said.