Mangaluru: Nanthoor junction, one of Mangaluru’s busiest intersections connecting the national highway with major city roads, has emerged as a serious road safety concern, with commuters pointing to poorly marked cement blocks, inadequate lighting and missing traffic markings as major hazards.
The junction handles heavy vehicular movement throughout the day and serves as an important link between the national highway and different parts of Mangaluru. While traffic police presence and daylight conditions help motorists navigate the intersection during the day, the situation becomes considerably more difficult after dark.
Commuters have raised concerns over the manner in which cement blocks have been placed at the junction to create circles and dividers. The blocks reportedly do not have adequate road safety paint or reflective markers, making them difficult to identify, particularly when the junction is poorly lit.
Cement blocks pose night-time hazard
The cement blocks placed around the junction have become a major concern for motorists. Their positioning alters the movement of vehicles through the busy intersection, requiring drivers to negotiate the road layout carefully.
During daylight hours, motorists can generally identify the blocks and adjust their movement accordingly. However, their visibility becomes a major issue at night.
The absence of reflective paint or reflectors means the structures can blend into the surrounding darkness. Motorists approaching the junction may have limited time to identify the obstruction and manoeuvre safely, particularly when travelling through the intersection amid heavy traffic.
Commuters say the problem is compounded by frequent power outages in the area.
Power outages add to the danger
Nanthoor junction is often plunged into darkness during power outages, according to local commuters. In such circumstances, the absence of reflective markings on the cement blocks becomes particularly problematic.
The junction’s heavy traffic volume further increases the potential risk. Vehicles approaching from different directions have to negotiate the altered road layout while also watching for other motorists, pedestrians and traffic signals.
Commuters have questioned why basic safety measures such as reflective paint and road studs or reflectors were not provided when the cement blocks were installed.
They have urged the authorities to address the visibility issue immediately rather than waiting for more accidents to occur.
Missing road markings add to confusion
The concerns at Nanthoor are not limited to the cement blocks and lighting.
The busy junction also reportedly lacks several basic traffic markings. Commuters have pointed out the absence of clearly marked zebra crossings for pedestrians.
The lack of stop lines at the signals is another concern. Stop lines provide motorists with a clear indication of where vehicles should halt when traffic signals turn red. Their absence can make vehicle positioning less orderly, particularly at a busy intersection.
For pedestrians, the absence of clearly designated crossings can make crossing the junction more difficult and potentially increase interaction between pedestrians and moving vehicles.
With national highway traffic mixing with city-bound and local traffic, clear markings are particularly important at Nanthoor.
Public questions responsibility of authorities
The condition of the junction has led to strong criticism from citizens, who have questioned the responsibility of the agencies concerned with the national highway and city roads.
The public has particularly questioned the placement of cement blocks without what they consider basic road safety provisions such as reflective markings.
Questions have also been raised over why the issue has continued despite repeated accidents and concerns from road users.
Citizens have sought greater accountability from the concerned departments and urged them to inspect the junction and assess whether the existing traffic arrangement meets basic safety requirements.
The issue involves infrastructure and traffic management responsibilities across the junction, with commuters calling for coordination between the concerned national highway authorities and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC).
Immediate corrective measures sought
Motorists and residents have urged the authorities to take immediate corrective action at Nanthoor junction.
Among the measures sought are proper reflective markings on the cement blocks, adequate lighting, clearly visible traffic markings, zebra crossings and stop lines.
A detailed traffic safety assessment of the junction could also help determine whether the existing arrangement of blocks and dividers is appropriate for the volume and pattern of traffic passing through the area.
Improved visibility would be particularly important during night-time hours and power outages.
Commuters seek action before major accident
Nanthoor is an important traffic junction in Mangaluru, making road safety measures there significant for thousands of daily commuters. The combination of heavy traffic, poor visibility during power outages, unmarked cement blocks and inadequate road markings has become a source of concern among motorists and pedestrians.
Citizens are now urging the concerned authorities to inspect the junction and implement necessary safety measures without delay.
Their demand is for preventive action to make the junction safer for motorists and pedestrians and to address the existing hazards before they result in a more serious accident.