While the Public Works Department is busy reinforcing a small stretch of Uyyakondan canal bund after an old sluice collapsed near Puthur Weir in the city on Monday, a section of residents has urged the district and civic authorities to strengthen and develop the canal bank as an alternative route to the narrow and congested Vayalur Road.
The sluice, an old masonry structure, collapsed during heavy rainfall on Monday, leading to erosion of a substantial portion of the bund. Acting swiftly, PWD authorities began repair work and are engaged in reinforcing the bund using sand bags and casuarina poles. Traffic along the bund has been suspended temporarily by PWD authorities as water is in full flow in the canal.
“We are carrying out temporary repairs and reinforcing the bund so as to prevent any further erosion. Permanent repair and rebuilding of the sluice will be taken up under the kudimaramathu scheme after irrigation season,” a PWD official told The Hindu.
The work is expected to be completed by Thursday, officials said.
Meanwhile, commuters traversing the route to avoid Vayalur Road were caught unawares and had to return on finding the route blocked on Tuesday. Many of them feel that it is time that the authorities develop the bund as a full-fledged road as Vayalur Road is literally bursting at the seams.
However, a PWD official says it is for the district administration and Tiruchi Corporation to take a call on the demand.
The Uyyakondan canal bank can become an alternative road link between Puthur High Road near Cantonment and Somarasampettai, residents say.
“Already, a large number of people have been using the route for their regular commute to avoid the heavy traffic on Vayalur Road. It is also a shorter route and we can reach the city from Somarasampettai in quick time,” points out Gerald, a regular commuter on the route.
The bunds of Kudamuritti canal branching off from Puthur Weir can also be used by residents of Srinivasa Nagar and scores of residential colonies on either side of the water body. Although a blacktopped road was laid over the right bank some years ago, it has taken a severe beating and is full of potholes now.
“The badly damaged road has to be repaired and linked with Vayalur Road towards the end. If properly developed, the two roads can become good alternative routes and benefit hundreds of thousands of residents off Vayalur Road,” says V. Sundararaju, a retired District Forest Officer and resident of Srinivasa Nagar South.
The road over the right bank of Koraiyar, which connects Puthur High Road and Dindigul Highway near Dheeran Nagar, is also in bad shape after being strengthened some years ago as part of a flood prevention project. If the road is re-laid, residents will get a direct and short access route from the Koraiyar river bridge on Dindigul Highway to Puthur High Road. This will mean saving four to five km of travel to the city from Pirattiyur and Dheeran Nagar, the residents add.
“The poor condition of the roads has left them largely underutilised. Though the roads laid over the bunds are essentially meant for PWD inspection vehicles, they can be strengthened and turned into alternative roads for light vehicles and two-wheelers to benefit a sizeable segment of the city populace,” observes R. Gopalakrishnan, another commuter.