Residents question feasibility of centre median on Williams Road

Tiruchi Corporation has initiated preliminary work for the construction of a centre median on Williams Road. While the move is aimed at improving road safety, residents and activists have voiced serious concerns over long-standing issues, which, if left unaddressed, may render the effort ineffective.

A sum of ₹15 lakh has been sanctioned to construct a median between Seva Sangam Girls Higher Secondary School and Sona Mina theatre for about 200 metres.

Williams Road, which serves as a vital link between Central Bus Stand and Bharathidasan Road, frequently reels under traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours. Although the road measures 50 feet in width, encroachments and unregulated on-road parking have significantly narrowed the stretch.

Civic activist C. Balasubramanian pointed out that advertisement hoardings and hotel signboards have encroached upon pathways, obstructing pedestrian space. “These hoardings project well into the pavement, denying safe walking space and visibility. If these are not removed, the median will only add to the chaos,” he said.

Adding to the woes is the rampant and unregulated parking of vehicles along both sides of the road. Vehicles are frequently parked outside automobile workshops, eateries, and offices, including near the Central Excise Office. The road also sees heavy footfall from students of nearby schools and patients visiting hospitals in the vicinity, making it a busy stretch.

Road users have also expressed concerns that constructing a permanent median could make turning vehicles difficult at key junctions, potentially worsening traffic congestion.

S. R. Kishore Kumar, advocate and district secretary of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), Tiruchi South, suggested that ready-made concrete dividers, similar to those used near Palace Theatre on Madurai Road, would have been a more efficient and cost-effective option. He questioned the need for digging up recently laid roads to construct a permanent median.

“These can be installed overnight, without damaging the existing road, and they maintain the full road width,” he noted. “This move would allow authorities to observe traffic behaviour and make adjustments if needed.”

Residents also suggest that the civic body first install temporary barricades to study traffic patterns and evaluate the practicality of a permanent median.