NH83 turns unsafe without road markings, cat’s eyes

Trichy: While a portion of the Trichy-Thanjavur National Highway 83 lacks proper service road, road markings are also absent on a stretch passing through Trichy city.

Cat’s eyes

(retroreflective safety device) that were once fitted on the highway to mark the carriageways and median have been remaining non-functional for several months. While the toll fee is gradually going up every year, road users are irked over the poor upkeep of the highways by the authorities.

Trichy-Thanjavur Expressway Limited maintains the Valavanthankottai toll plaza under the supervision of Thanjavur Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Despite being one of the most widely accessed national highways in Trichy, the highway has been crying for attention for a long time. There is no service road for about 14.5 km covering Palpannai, Thiruverumbur and Thuvakudi localities. "NHAI is interested only in increasing the toll fee annually. They are least bothered about maintaining the infrastructure to ensure our safety. Reflectors at the median openings are necessary, else speeding vehicles will not slow down to let us cross," S Panjabagesan, a resident of Kattur said.

Accessing the NH during night hours is literally a nightmare for two-wheeler riders between Thuvakudi and Palpannai. It is to be noted that the highway is home to several reputed institutes and industrial estates including NIT Trichy and Bhel, which attracts round-the-clock traffic.

The solar-powered cat’s eyes, which were once installed on the NH, have been remaining dysfunctional or damaged. Two-wheeler riders feel the heat while crossing the stretch amidst the speeding private buses. "NHAI should do justice to the toll fee they collect. In the absence of road markings and reflectors, crossing the multi-lane highway is a risky affair," S Sundar, a resident of LIC Nagar said.

"We have started our routine maintenance work recently. Soon the damaged cat’s eyes and faded road markings will be replaced in the Thiruverumbur vicinity," an official source with Trichy-Thanjavur Expressway Limited said.