Traffic congestion on Tennur High Road in Tiruchi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
Frequent traffic snarls on the Thennur High Road have become a nightmare for motorists in the city.Thennur High Road, a vital stretch connecting Thillai Nagar to Vayalur Road, Thennur to Old Madurai Road and neighbouring areas, has emerged as one of the high volume traffic roads in the city.Right from Puthur Four Road junction to Thillai Nagar junction and from there to Old Madurai Road, the road handles thousands of vehicles, including buses, cars, auto rickshaws, two-wheelers and others.The road, a narrow two-way stretch, is frequently congested, especially during peak hours. With vehicles approaching from both directions, they move at a snail’s pace.It is not a new phenomenon. It has been going on for several years. It was to decongest the road that a road overbridge was built about 25 years ago when Rangarajan Kumaramangalam was the Minister for Power. The traffic bottlenecks on the road came down to an extent after the construction of the bridge. With the mushrooming number of vehicle population, the traffic chaos have once again returned.The problem persists throughout the day, particularly during the morning and evening hours. Motorists are forced to cross the road with extreme caution as vehicles approach from all directions.Haphazard parking of vehicles along both sides of the road, thereby reducing the effective width of it, adds to the woes.The issue is particularly severe near commercial establishments, hospitals, and schools, where there is a high volume of daily visitors. Traffic snarls occur at the points of cross roads from Thillai Nagar, Thennur, Anna Nagar and others.Local residents and traders feel that the volume of traffic on the road has almost doubled since the closure of Fort Station Road on account of rebuilding it about two years ago.It is said that more than 50% of two-wheelers and cars heading towards Chathiram Bus Stand or Main Guard Gate, which were using the Fort Station Road, have been using the Thennur RoB. It has also contributed to the heavy traffic congestion and traffic snarls.“It becomes a nightmare for driving vehicles along the Thennur High Road. Except for a point, no traffic policemen are visible to regulate the traffic. The motorists have to mend for themselves to give way to others,” R. Thiruvengadam of Allur, a civic activist.Besides strengthening the presence of traffic police and removing the traffic bottlenecks on the road, motorists have urged the authorities to expedite the rebuilding of Fort Station Road to reduce vehicle movements. Published - May 26, 2026 06:44 pm IST
