Seeking road over bridge, residents block Tiruchy-Dindigul bypass

TIRUCHY: Residents blocked vehicle movement on the Tiruchy-Dindigul bypass, demanding to open the cut road in the National Highway for easy commuting and an elevated road over bridge (ROB) at K-Periyapatti near Manapparai. This resulted in traffic being disrupted for more than two hours in the section on Friday.

The residents from around 50 villages, including K-Periyapatti, Chokkampatti and Mondipatti, were using the cut road at the K-Periyapatti branch road of the Tiruchy-Dindigul NH for several years, but the road was closed by the NHAI a couple of days back. This forced the residents of these villages to take a detour and travel for several kilometres to reach their villages from the highway near the TNPL factory near Manapparai.

The protesting residents said that they were demanding an elevated road over a bridge in the particular place, as they were using a temporary cut road on the highway, but the NHAI had different thoughts. They closed the temporary arrangement instead of initiating steps to construct a bridge. They demanded that the elevated road over the bridge must be constructed immediately and block vehicle movement.

The traffic on the Tiruchy-Dindigul bypass was at a standstill for around two hours. On information, the Srirangam RDO Tamilmani, Manapparai Tahsildhar Sundarapandian and police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitating residents. After assurance by the officials on the opening of the closed road, the residents withdrew their protest.