Trichy: The state government’s ceremonial conduct of the road safety awareness week every year has turned out to be a farce as it is failing to solve the real-time traffic issues the commuters face each day on the city roads. While pamphlets were distributed near the Central bus stand as part of the awareness week on Tuesday, rampant traffic violations such as signal jumping happened just a few blocks away.
Local people are irked over the observance of the awareness week as the city traffic management is a shambles due to the non-functioning traffic signals, poor enforcement and lack of traffic infrastructure. The Mannarpuram traffic signal is defunct for more than five months now, and road users are in constant danger. Similarly, nobody cares about the ‘no parking’ boards installed along the arterial roads. People park their two-wheelers and cars well below the no-parking signs as there is no enforcement of the rule.
“Observing road safety awareness week is fine but what about the poor road infrastructure? There are numerous potholes on city roads. Such bad roads are equally dangerous, but no efforts were taken up to iron out such issues,” H Ghouse Baig, a resident of Khajamalai, said. U-turn is prohibited near the district court on Bharathidasan Road, but cars and even load carriers continue to violate the rule causing snarl-ups frequently.
“More than distributing awareness pamphlets, city traffic police and other stakeholders should enhance the enforcement,” T Santhanakrishnan, a resident of Srirangam, said. Local people said that the awareness week should find a solution to a real-time issue. Vehicles including buses often jump traffic signal at Major Saravanan signal near Vestry School, which is a threat to the lives of two-wheeler riders. Such violators escape unpunished. Residents blamed the absence of policemen on the one-way and the no-parking zones as a reason to such violations. “We will enhance the surveillance and enforcement on Major Saravanan signal to prevent traffic signal jumping. We will also intensify steps against the violators who park their vehicles on no-parking zones,” a traffic police official told TOI.
Source: Times Of India
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