Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002 |
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Logistics
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Roadways Riding dangerously on Kovai roads R.Y. Narayanan
Violation of traffic restrictions is common in Coimbatore. A lorry crossing the Lakshmi Mills junction on Avanashi Road in violation of the ban on lorry movement towards the city centre.
COIMBATORE, July 15 THE growing number of road accidents in Coimbatore city has underscored the need for safer driving habits among the vehicle users, apart from quick responses from the authorities for remedial measures. A few weeks back, four men — all in their mid-20s — died on the spot when the car they were travelling in, apparently at high speed, crashed into a steel road divider on the Avanashi road in Peelamedu and fell on the other side of the road, colliding with a van coming in the opposite direction. The accident brought into focus the need for safer driving habits among the vehicle users in Coimbatore, which has one of the highest vehicle populations in the State. TFor long-time vehicle drivers, Coimbatore presents a nightmare. There is scant regard for road safety norms and adherence to saner driving methods is a rarity. The teenage population here is very mobile and the city has been traditionally known for its love for automobiles. There is intense jostling for space in the overcrowded roads. The police have been regularly conducting checks to ensure that the vehicle uses stay within speed limits but this is primarily aimed at the two-wheeler drivers. The problem has been compounded by poor maintenance of roads, poor lighting and unimaginative planning. From the Coimbatore city, major roads branch off to Salem, Tiruchi, Mysore, Palakkad and Udhagamandalam and all these roads carry heavy traffic, virtually all through the day. The authorities have built road medians and roped in the business community to put up steel barricades in some of these medians up to the city limits. But the medians have shrunk the width of the roads, leading to dangerous overtakings. The cable laying process, resulting in the digging of key roads, has aggravated the problem. As most dug-up roads are not being properly re-laid, motorists face risks due to sudden braking. Till a few months back, there were restrictions on lorry traffic within the city during peak hours. But for reasons not known, this rule is not being enforced strictly now, causing traffic snarls. Indiscriminate use of halogen lamps in vehiclesoften blinds those coming in the opposite direction. Far too long, road safety considerations have not received the desired attention — right from road users to the Government authorities. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Sanjay Arora, recently called for suggestions from the public for improving traffic conditions in the city and got a good response. Hopefully, when these suggestions are implemented, the Coimbatore road users may breathe easy.
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