Ooty: Road repair and improvement works, especially the black-topping being done on the narrow stretches of the Ooty NH along the Marappalam-Burliar-Kallar sector is causing frequent traffic snarls on the busy NH.
Hill residents look to the traffic managers to take steps for alternative measures to de-congest traffic or opt for one-way traffic to ease traffic flow on this busy NH which connects the Ooty hills with Coimbatore.
Stating that lack of co-ordination and planning among police and NH officials is the reason for haphazard traffic on this road, especially in the Marappalam-Burliar-Kallar sector where road works are underway now, Mr. G. Janardhanan, president of the Ooty Town Public Awareness Association wanted police to chalk out a better traffic plan to allow vehicles on this road when repair and improvement works are carried out.
“Carrying out black-topping works without prior announcement and stopping traffic along the road should not be done. NH officials often do it during the weekends when traffic flow up and down the hill is generally high.”
Police should either regulate traffic from Coonoor and Kallar ends for hitch-free traffic on this NH or implement one-way traffic by diverting the descending trip via Kotagiri as that will ease the congestion and help passengers reach their destinations in time,” Janardhanan further added.
