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With accidents unabated on the Tiruchi-Karur National Highway, residents surviving successful the suburban areas of the metropolis person urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the State Highways Department to widen the roadworthy wherever possible.
Thousands of vehicles heading towards Coimbatore, Erode, and Karur walk done the 71-km section. Two-lane covers 46 km portion the 11-km agelong betwixt Tiruchi and Thindukarai, which runs betwixt the Cauvery and Tiruchi-Karur railway line, is nether the power of the State Highways and the Thindukarai-Pettavaithalai agelong comes nether the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Though the roadworthy is harmless for driving betwixt Mayanur and Karur arsenic it is simply a four-lane highway, the agelong betwixt Tiruchi and Pettavaithalai is considered arsenic mishap prone.
According to Road Users Welfare Association, astir 112 accidents were reported successful 2024, resulting successful 44 fatalities and astir 20 fatalities reported successful 2025. Three motorists were killed successful January this year. A Revenue Divisional Officer, who was killed successful a roadworthy mishap astatine Kadiyakurichi adjacent Jeeeyapuram a fewer months ago, was among the victims.
Motorists see Thindukarai, Anthanallur, Kodiyalam, Kadiyakurichi, Kambarasampettai, and Pettavaithalai arsenic the unsafe spots on the Tiruchi-Karur highway. By taking into relationship continuous accidents, the NHAI conducted a survey precocious to place achromatic spots. It came retired with a fewer steps to bespeak the accident-prone spots. It created pedestrian facilities specified arsenic zebra crossings with precocious informing signs, transverse barriers, railings, star lights, blinkers, and roadworthy markings astatine assorted places. These measures person been serving the intent to an extent. However, accidents proceed to beryllium unabated.
Local radical emblem the contented of rash driving by backstage buses connected the route, who are anxious to implicit the travel betwixt Tiruchi and Karur.
“We witnesser predominant accidents involving two-wheelers and different vehicles on the highway. Accidents hap on the sections controlled by some NHAI and the State Highways. Creation of pedestrian facilities is welcome. But, it is not sufficient. The road should beryllium widened wherever possible,” says R. Thiruvengadam, a societal activistic belonging to Allur.
He said the projected program of gathering greenfield highways betwixt Tiruchi and Karur and Karur and Coimbatore by the NHAI mightiness beryllium the imperishable solution to the issue. However, the program was inactive successful the preliminary stage. It mightiness instrumentality astatine slightest 5 years to instrumentality shape. The commuters, who utilized the existing Tiruchi-Karur highway, could not beryllium allowed to endure until then. The State Highways and the NHAI should behaviour a associated survey from Tiruchi to Mayanur to widen the roadworthy wherever imaginable and to instrumentality different remedial measures.
