Overflow on Vaigai Bank Roads throws traffic out of gear

Inundation of roads due to lack of coordination between district admin, Madurai Corp & PWD caused traffic snarls & inconvenience. Check dam & drainages could have prevented flooding & ensured uninterrupted traffic.

Lack of coordination among the district administration, Madurai Corporation and Public Works Department has led to inundation of the South and North Vaigai Bank Roads near A.V. Bridge causing severe inconvenience to road users on Friday.

Despite no rain being reported in the city, the overflow of Vaigai water released for irrigation in Ramanathapuram district led to traffic snarls in major arterial roads in north and south parts of the city.

Bumper-to-bumper movement of vehicles was witnessed on Alagarkoil Road, Munichalai, East and North Veli Streets. This was due to Madurai City Traffic police diverting vehicles away from the South and North Vaigai Bank roads which was waterlogged since morning.

Both the Vaigai Bank Roads were laid to ease traffic. But, traffic came to a grinding halt after autorickshaws, cars and bikes conked out after their silencers went under the water.

Madurai City Police has been complaining about the location of the check-dam constructed across the Vaigai river between the two bridges, where thousands congregate for Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into Vaigai. While the check dam raised the water level, the retaining wall has not been constructed uniformly on both sides, which is allowing water to flow on to the roads.

Failure to open the shutters of the check dam on time and removal of the huge spread of water hyacinth forced the 5,500 cusecs of gushing water to further flow into the roads. The PWD officials want Madurai Corporation to remove the water hyacinth as it is only the city’s sewage, which is allowed to drain into the river without proper treatment, that was leading to the wild growth. However, the Corporation maintains that only the PWD is the custodian of the river.