Amidst rising tourist footfalls during the summer vacation to Mukkombu, a popular picnic destination near Tiruchi, local residents have called upon the district authorities to install an automatic traffic signal to regulate traffic on the narrow barrage which serves as a link road road across the Cauvery.
Visitors to the recreation spot and residents of villages commuting across the barrages across the Cauvery and the Kollidam have been facing much hardship in recent weeks because of frequent traffic gridlocks witnessed on the barrages across both rivers. It takes considerable time and effort, often by the tourists themselves, to clear the traffic snarls.
Situated about 18 km away from the city, Mukkombu, known as Upper Anicut, is a popular recreation spot for those in Tiruchi and tourists passing by. The barrages are under the control of Water Resources Department as they are important structures to regulate the water flow to the delta region.
Normally, Mukkombu attracts a large number of visitors on weekends. But during summer vacation and the other holidays, it sees a surge in footfalls.
Visitors have to cross the barrage across the Cauvery to reach a park situated on the island between the two rivers. With many visitors arriving by cars, vans, and buses, traffic snarls have become frequent on the narrow barrage, which can barely accommodate two-way traffic. A similar situation prevails on the newly built barrage across the Kollidam as many local residents use the structures to cross over the rivers between the Tiruchi-Karur and Tiruchi-Namakkal highways.
