No signage
Tenkasi has very little signage for speed breakers, medians, lanes and zebra crossings. Even on busy roads, the markings are barely visible, as thermodynamic paint, which has better visibility and durability, is not used. The speed breakers, especially opposite to GH, Collector’s bungalow, opposite to court and near Chinthamani, are not in tune with road congress guidelines / standards. Missing luminous paint, lack of reflectors on speed breakers, median / lane markings and stop lines near traffic signals on the four car streets confuse the motorists and make driving risky, particularly at night. As there is no central median arrow marking, motorists coming from Old Bus Stand find it difficult to turn right into Courtallam Road at Yanai Palam. Similar is the situation on Tirunelveli Road, and for vehicles coming from Railway Bridge taking a turn at Petrol Pump signal. The authorities should conduct a Road Safety Audit for Tenkasi Town at the earliest.
A. Sathasivam
Courtallam
Demolish tank
A more than 30-year-old overhead water tank at Edayanvilai in Agasteeswaram Town Panchayat in Kanniyakumari district remains defunct. Its pillars are in a damaged state and it may collapse any time. It is beside the village road and library. I request the officials concerned to demolish the tank immediately.
C. Ramdhas,
Kottaram
Fix automatic doors in buses
Four students of a college near Maduranthagam were crushed to death when a private bus in which they travelled on footboard brushed against a parked lorry. The only way to curb footboard travel is to make it mandatory for all buses to have automatic door locking system. Parking of vehicles on road must be dealt with a heavy penalty to the extent of cancellation of RC of the vehicle. The TNSTC must also run more buses during peak hours. Educational institutions must also inculcate in the minds of students the merits of obeying road rules.
Rajakumar Arulanandham,
Palayamkottai
Build subway
At last the Maharaja Nagar railway overbridge has been thrown open. The semilunar shaped bridge starts near Uzhavar Santhai and ends unilaterally near EB office and joins Sivanthipatti Road at Thiagaraja Nagar. Those coming from Thiagaraja Nagar side is less compared to people coming from New Bus Stand, Perumalpuram and Anbu Nagar who do not have direct entry into the bridge. They have to ride some more distance and take an ‘U’ turn to enter the bridge amid congestion. The difficulty is more pronounced during pek hours. If the bridge had a ‘Y’ shape, it could have met the need at both ends. Hence, a subway must be constructed near the railway crossing to facilitate easy access from Anbu nagar to Maharaja Nagar. Also, while undertaking such projects, the government should hear public opinion.
H.Syed Othuman,
Tirunelveli
Wild boar issue
Farmers at the foothills want wild boars, which damage their crops, to be removed from Protected Animals List so that they could be killed. Man-animal conflict is age-old. A study must be taken to ascertain before removing wild boars from the list as poachers will take advantage and hunt them down for meat. The farmers need to adopt old methods such as firing of crackers and chasing them away using canines and other methods approved by the Forest Department. Encroachment of forest lands must be checked. Already many wild animals have become either extinct or on the verge of extinction. Steps must be taken for peaceful co-existence of wild animals with humans.
A.M.N. Pandian,
Tirunelveli
Remove trees on roadside
There are about 30 palmyra trees on the newly-laid V.O.C Road between Pothigai Nagar and Thirumal Nagar in Tirunelveli. Since the road was laid very close to these trees, ripe fruits and dry leaves fall on the busy narrow road, which are constant threats to the road users. More dangerously, there are two dry trees (‘mottai panai’) leaning towards the road. Hence I request the authorities concerned to immediately remove these precariously standing trees.
V. Ganesan,
Tirunelveli.
Dumping waste from Kerala
Dumping waste brought from Kerala into places in Kanniyakumari district by stealth continues unabated. Waste from abattoirs, meat shops, hotels, hospitals and households is transported under cover of darkness and dumped along the roadside and in waterbodies and unused lands. The heaps of waste pollute the environment, spread foul smell and pose a health hazard. How the waste-laden trucks gain entry is not exactly known. The miscreants either bribe the personnel at border check-posts or take long-winding routes without check-posts to dodge them. Sometimes the same vehicles that take marine products and vegetables are hired to bring these waste. The old Kuzhithurai bridge has become a ‘favourite’ spot to dump waste. The district administration and State Pollution Board should ensure that this ecologically sensitive district is saved from being dumped with waste from Kerala.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode
