The missing service road under Kallambal road overbridge is posing a threat to vehicles coming from Chintamani on wrong way to reach Viraganoor roundabout in Madurai.
| Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY
For long, Madurai district police were used to divert vehicles coming from Ramanathapuram-Madurai fourway highway at Viraganoor roundabout towards Madurai-Thoothukudi Ring Road to decongest traffic snarls at the junction during peak hours.
Vehicles were made to go for some 400 metres towards Thoothukudi and take a safe U-turn under the Kallamabal ROB to come back to the Viraganoor junction to reach Kamarajar Salai or Mattuthavani.
“This diversion helped to give some relief on the huge roundabout, which often gets choked with numerous vehicles trying to get in and get out of the multi-road junction,” a traffic police officer said.
The diversions were made during long weekends, holidays, festival seasons and ‘muhurtham’ days.
The diversion was possible as a narrow lane of service road has been laid on the left side of the ROB. However, no such provision for service road was made available for the right side service road.
“Despite no proper road, vehicles coming from Chinthamani towards Viraganoor junction used to ply on this road,” he added.
But, that temporary road has now been dug up and part of it had been fenced as the land belonged to a private person.
“No more vehicles coming from Chintamani are using this road, but use the other road to make wrong entry into the Thoothukudi-Madurai Road. These vehicles make unsafe crossing from the wrong side to cross through the opening in the median to reach Viraganoor junction,” the officer said.
The missing service road should be laid at the earliest to provide safe passage for vehicles coming from Chintamani.
Besides, it would play a major role in diverting vehicles from the junction to decongest traffic at the roundabout.
Published – July 25, 2025 09:21 pm IST
