Vellore
Viswanathan sought to convert the two-lane bridge — roads on either sides are of four lanes — to a four lane facility as the area happens to be the entrance to TN from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Viswanathan also sought a grade separator at the Chittoor bus stop to reduce traffic snarls during peak hours especially since the area is dotted with numerous educational institutions, including VIT.
Viswanathan’s plea focussed on a similar announcement made by Vellore’s new DMK MP Kathir Anand who had some days ago inspected the ROB with railway officials and announced that the facility would be repaired at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore. But, Kathir was talking about a facility located in Arakonam Lok Sabha segment (Katpadi falls in this constituency) and that constituency’s MP S Jagatrakshakan was not present during the inspection.
Locals also wondered about the funding as Kathir can spend only in Vellore constituency and railway officials remained silent on whether they would foot the bill. Sources, however, revealed that funds would not be an issue as Kathir was the chairman of the southern railway development committee.
Speaking on this, consumer activist K Sathiyamoorthy said, “To reduce traffic congestion in this area, the elected representatives should demand the completion of the ring road announced by former CM Jayalalithaa twice which was put on the back burner despite initial surveys for it being completed years ago.”
“The road from near Pootuthakku on the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway will then connect Katpadi ensuring that Chennai-bound vehicles do not have to come through Vellore city,” added Sathiyamoorthy.
S Sridhar, a local resident wondered why nobody demanded a bus terminus for the Katpadi-Gandhinagar area as now it has only the Chittoor road bus stop. “If a terminus is built, then buses from AP and Karnataka can be arrive here without entering Vellore town, while town buses, share autos and cabs can ferry passengers to local destinations,” he said.
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