Coimbatore: While the highways department has banned four-wheelers from using a 500m-stretch on Mettupalayam Road to finish some critical work of Kavundampalayam flyover, motorists continue to use the stretch by finding gap between the barricades that were placed to block their entry, jamming either side of the flyover with vehicles during peak hours.
In the first week of January, the highways department had closed the stretch from GN Mills to Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road for four-wheelers and other heavy vehicles for two months to speed up flyover work by bringing in large cranes and other equipment.
Except for ambulances and two-wheelers, all other vehicles were asked to take a diversion to Thadagam Road or Vellakinar, Udayampalayam and Maniakaranpalayam route.
However, many four-wheelers have been entering the stretch through the gap between the concrete barriers for the past four days. Initially, vehicles were requested take a diversion from Sai Baba Colony through NSR Road. “They are entering the stretch before the TNSTC corporation gate on Mettupalayam Road, drive on the wrong side for 50m or so and then get back to their side of the road. What they don’t realize is that they would get stuck in a massive traffic jam on either side of the flyover, as barricades have been placed in a way to allow only one four-wheeler through at a time,” said a supervising engineer of the flyover.
Sivasamy, a resident of Srivari Apartments that is located within the closed stretch of the road, said the four-wheelers, which flout the diversion rules, were causing a huge inconvenience to the local residents as well.
Highways engineers said the complete disregard for the traffic diversion was also delaying their work.