State Highways begins counting of vehicles on key roads in Vellore
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The State Highways has begun the counting of vehicles on key stretches, intersections, and border areas in Vellore district to introduce road safety measures such as widening of stretches and traffic diversions.
State Highways officials said the annual execise, which was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, had been resumed due to the rise in the number of vehicles. The exercise is monitored by R.N. Dhanasekar, Divisional Engineer, State Highways (Vellore).
'The counting helps us assess vehicular flow on key stretches and intersections to make improvements as part of road safety measures. Volunteers have been roped in for the week-long exercise,' B. Yogaraj, Assistant Engineer, State Highways (Gudiyatham), told The Hindu.
According to Highways officials, the census helps understand traffic flow patterns, and identify busy routes and accident-prone spots. Based on the flow of vehicles, the identified routes and junctions will be widened.
Other safety measures include additional traffic signals, reduction in pedestrian crossings and traffic diversions. 'Stretches within Vellore Corporation limits should be widened to meet growing vehicular traffic in the town. For example, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams traffic junction on Anna Salai is narrow, even ambulances get stuck on the stretch,' said K. Sampath, a motorist.
The key stretches identified for the census include Chittoor-Tiruvalam Road, Katpadi-Vallimalai Road, Cuddalore-Chittoor Road, Pallikonda Main Road and Ponnai-Tiruvalam Main Road. The exercise also covers stretches that connect border villages in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh such as Melpatti Road, Paradarami Road and Chittoor Gate Road near Gudiyatham town.
Divided into teams, two persons will carry out the task in each identified area. Eight types of vehicles, including lorries, multiple-axle wheel lorries, buses, tractors, cars, two-wheelers and bull carts, will be covered in the exercise. The survey will be undertaken between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on all days, including Sundays.
Highways officials said on an average, an increase of 5%-10% of vehicles had been found in the district every year. Compiled data of the vehicles will be processed by the Traffic Science Laboratory of the Highways Research Station in Chennai. The laboratory will provide detailed guidelines for traffic changes on identified routes in the coming months.
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