Diversion of vehicles through Kulamangalam Road can reduce congestion in core city areas
With the majority of the work of constructing the 'cut and cover' canal for draining surplus water from Sellur irrigation tank into Vaigai river getting over, the stretch of Kulamangalam Road between Madurai North Bank Road near Thathaneri and 60 Feet Road could be used to divert vehicles to decongest traffic at Simmakkal and Palam Station Road junction.
All that the police need to do is ask Corporation officials to make the dug-up stretch of Kulamangalam Road temporarily motorable for easing traffic movement on arterial roads of the city during the Chithirai festival.
Ever since the daily procession of deities around Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple started, Madurai City Traffic Police are closing Masi Streets from time to time to facilitate the procession.
The wider Masi Streets used to take a good part of the core city's traffic movement along the streets and lanes around the temple.
However, prohibition of vehicle movement on the Masi Streets during the evenings till night is causing heavy traffic congestion on Veli Streets, especially East and North Veli Streets, leading to traffic snarls during peak hours.
This often leads to piling up of vehicles from Goripalayam junction up to Sethupathi Higher Secondary School and from Simmakkal up to Palam Station Road junction and Tallakulam.
Earlier, during the festival time, the traffic police used to divert the vehicles bound to northern parts of the city like Alagarkoil Road, New Natham Road and Rathinasamy Nadar Street through Kulamangalam Road and 60 Feet Road. However, since the work of constructing the 290-metre-long canal was under way on Kulamangalam Road, vehicle movement was diverted away from this road.
Since, the physical work of the canal is over, temporary restoration of the road could help divert a good number of vehicles, including light vehicles, during the festival. This road will be of greater help during the two-day procession of Lord Kallazhagar alternating on New Natham Road and Alagarkoil Road.
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