Date:26/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/26/stories/2007092660300300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Traffic system to be overhauled

Special Correspondent

Five markets to be shifted, says Tripathy

— Photo: S. James

assessment time: Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy, left, addressing a review meeting in the city on Tuesday. Madurai Collector S.S. Jawahar is also seen.

MADURAI: A massive improvement plan is on the cards to decongest the city from the bustling vehicular traffic. Besides construction of flyovers, road over-bridges and subways, five markets in the ‘core city’ (southern part of Madurai) is likely to be shifted to the outskirts.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of a high-level committee on traffic improvement here on Tuesday, Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy said that the committee, after carefully considering various aspects of decongesting traffic, would submit a report to the Government by November. “We will evaluate short and long-term measures to improve the traffic management system. After consulting the merchants, the five wholesale markets would be shifted to other sites that are also suitable for business.”

Of the 13 radial roads connecting the city with other towns, nine were important in terms of traffic flow. Steps were being taken to connect the Melur-Dindigul road. “We are looking at the missing links. Where there is a level crossing, road over-bridge or underpass is being proposed. Flyovers have been mooted at 18 places,” he said.

Roads along river

Mr. Tripathy said that a majority of officials who took part in the meeting had suggested that the banks along the Vaigai river should be developed with good roads and pedestrian platforms. “Apart from traffic management, we are also looking at traffic engineering and surveillance system,” he said.

Parrying questions on the Periyar dam issue, Mr. Tripathy said that efforts were being taken to implement the Supreme Court orders. Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, had written to the Ministry of Railways to operate high-speed trains (HST) between Chennai and Madurai and Chennai and Coimbatore.

The Chief Secretary said that the State was producing at least 90,000 engineering graduates every year. “We are more concerned about the quality of education in colleges. Information Technology (IT) Park would soon take shape in Madurai,” he added.

Collector S.S. Jawahar, Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Sanjeev Kumar and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Madurai Range) K. Jayanth Murali took part in the meeting.