Wed Feb 19 14:41:26 UTC 2025: ## Dangerous Conditions Plague Newly Built Highways in Tirunelveli District
**Tirunelveli, February 19, 2025** – Despite hefty tolls, newly constructed four-lane national highways in Tirunelveli district are riddled with safety hazards, posing significant risks to motorists. Reports highlight damaged roads, deliberately destroyed medians, and poorly maintained roadside vegetation.
Several issues have been identified: cracks and “shifting” blacktop on the Ponnakudi bridge on the Tirunelveli-Kanniyakumari NH, despite recent repairs; serious undulations on a new overbridge near Panagudi; and improperly installed road markings that create hazardous driving conditions.
Two-wheeler riders frequently breach the concrete medians to cross the highways instead of using designated U-turns, leading to nighttime accidents. The lack of protective greenery, meant to reduce glare, further exacerbates the risk.
A senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official acknowledged the problems. They stated that repairs to the damaged medians will be completed within 10 days and that a police complaint is being considered. The official also mentioned that a tender for replanting and maintaining roadside vegetation will soon be floated. However, the upcoming harsh weather presents a significant challenge to this plan. The unsafe conditions highlight the urgent need for improved road maintenance and enforcement of traffic regulations in the district.
First Piper 