With accidents unabated along the Tiruchi-Karur National Highway, residents living in the suburban areas of the city have urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the State Highways Department to widen the road wherever possible.

Thousands of vehicles heading towards Coimbatore, Erode, and Karur pass through the 71-km section. Two-lane covers 46 km while the 11-km stretch between Tiruchi and Thindukarai, which runs between the Cauvery and Tiruchi-Karur railway line, is under the control of the State Highways and the Thindukarai-Pettavaithalai stretch comes under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Though the road is safe for driving between Mayanur and Karur as it is a four-lane highway, the stretch between Tiruchi and Pettavaithalai is considered as accident prone.

According to Road Users Welfare Association, about 112 accidents were reported in 2024, resulting in 44 fatalities and about 20 fatalities reported in 2025. Three motorists were killed in January this year. A Revenue Divisional Officer, who was killed in a road accident at Kadiyakurichi near Jeeeyapuram a few months ago, was among the victims.

Motorists consider Thindukarai, Anthanallur, Kodiyalam, Kadiyakurichi, Kambarasampettai, and Pettavaithalai as the dangerous spots along the Tiruchi-Karur highway. By taking into account continuous accidents, the NHAI conducted a study recently to identify black spots. It came out with a few steps to indicate the accident-prone spots. It created pedestrian facilities such as zebra crossings with advanced warning signs, cross barriers, railings, solar lights, blinkers, and road markings at various places. These measures have been serving the purpose to an extent. However, accidents continue to be unabated.

Local people flag the issue of rash driving by private buses on the route, who are anxious to complete the trip between Tiruchi and Karur.

“We witness frequent accidents involving two-wheelers and other vehicles along the highway. Accidents occur along the sections controlled by both NHAI and the State Highways. Creation of pedestrian facilities is welcome. But, it is not sufficient. The highway should be widened wherever possible,” says R. Thiruvengadam, a social activist belonging to Allur.

He said the proposed plan of building greenfield highways between Tiruchi and Karur and Karur and Coimbatore by the NHAI might be the permanent solution to the issue. However, the plan was still in the preliminary stage. It might take at least five years to take shape. The commuters, who used the existing Tiruchi-Karur highway, could not be allowed to suffer until then. The State Highways and the NHAI should conduct a joint study from Tiruchi to Mayanur to widen the road wherever possible and to take other remedial measures.