Police suggest speed control measures on Tiruchi Road flyover in Coimbatore

The decision was taken following two accidents on the flyover since it was opened to public on June 11

The Coimbatore City Police have suggested speed control measures on the down ramp of Tiruchi Road flyover from which a youth fell on to the Sungam -Ukkadam bypass, around 40 feet below, after the motorcycle he rode rammed the parapet wall on Friday morning.

The decision was taken after Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) N. Mathivanan inspected the accident spot on Friday along with officials from the Traffic Police, Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) and the Road Transport Authority. The police have suggested the Highways Department to install rumble strips at the beginning of the down ramp to warn motorists.

The police will place barricades in zigzag formation on the flyover before the starting point of the down ramp so that motorists will reduce the speed before heading to the curve ahead. The Highways Department has already installed a sign board on the parapet wall of the down ramp alerting motorists of the curve.

K. Hariharan (19), a native of Karur, was injured in the accident around 5.30 a.m. on Friday. He suffered head injury and both his legs were fractured in the accident, said L. Raju, Assistant Commissioner of Police, TIW. The youth was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital where he was under the observation of the medical team in an intensive care unit, the police said.

According to the police, this is the second accident on Tiruchi Road flyover since it was opened to motorists on June 11. The first accident took place on the flyover a day after the inauguration. It happened at the curve right above the Sungam roundabout. A 28-year-old man on a motorcycle, who was heading towards Singanallur, rammed the parapet wall while negotiating the curve and died on the spot.

City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan visited the accident spot and suggested safety measures. Barricades in zigzag formation were placed at the accident spot to control the speed of vehicles. A speed restriction of 40 kmph is already in place on the flyover. The speed limit for the down ramp is 30 kmph. 

An official of the State Highways Department here said there were rumble strips on the down ramp of the flyover where it joins the Ukkadam bypass road. Rumble strips will be laid at locations where the flyover starts and ends on Trichy Road. “We cannot have speed breakers on the flyover. However, we have put up boards indicating the speed limit. Motorists should maintain the speed limit,” the official said.