more-in The Kalavasal junction, where the Madurai-Theni highway and Madurai-Dindigul Bypass Road meet, is one of the major traffic junctions in Madurai in terms of number of vehicles that cross it daily. While it already faced traffic congestion despite being one of the widest junctions in the city, the problem has become worse because of construction of a new flyover. Though the four-lane flyover on the Bypass road is expected to significantly ease congestion when it gets completed, people point out the need for measures to effectively manage the traffic within the available space until the construction is over. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, while laying foundation for the construction of the flyover at a cost of ? 54.07 crore in July, said that the work will be completed in 15 months, which is by October 2019. N. Rajalingam, an autorickshaw driver, said that the congestion had already worsened considerably even though the construction work was still in the initial phase. “The carriageway towards the Arapalayam side of the junction has reduced a lot because of the work. Once they start the work on the other side as well in full swing, movement of vehicles will be affected to a great extent,” he said. He added that though the planned schedule was only 15 months, the construction work could go on for a longer time as is the case with most government projects. Acknowledging the issue, a traffic constable deputed at the junction pointed out that a significant portion of the carriageway on the Arapalayam side of the junction had been rendered unusable due to the presence of electric poles and uneven nature of the road. “Officials from the State Highways department along with Tangedco can take steps to shift these poles and expand the stretch of the road near the junction to minimise the impact of the construction work,” he said. He, however, added that there was not much room for such measures on the south side of the junction. When asked about the possibility of diverting a section of traffic through different routes until the construction is over, he said that it was not possible since the junction was a crucial connecting point. “Even if we attempt that, it will only add to congestion in few other smaller junctions nearby,” he added.

Stay updated with all the Latest Madurai headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.