Motorists have been demanding streetlights on the recently opened ₹90-crore Sathuvachari - VIT High Road, off the Chennai - Bengaluru National Highway (NH 48), near the Collectorate in Vellore.

Motorists said the new stretch, which was laid by the State Highways Department, provided the shortest route to reach key government offices like that of the Collectorate, Superintendent of Police (SP), EPFO, banks, and the zonal office of Vellore Corporation.

The stretch helped motorists avoid narrow stretches. ‘’Ambulances also use the new stretch to help victims reach in time, especially during night. Streetlights will help ensure safety of road users,” said G. Kumar, an ambulance driver. 

Motorists said that of the entire 3.2 km of the VIT Road, only the new bridge across Palar River on the stretch had bright LED streetlights with tiled footpaths and a median. The new four-lane bridge is 475-metre-long and 15-metre-wide.

The remaining part of the carriageway remained dark in the night with no streetlights. “Crossing the new stretch during night is also risky due to speeding vehicles with flash headlights. The stretch does not have warning signages, reflectors, blinkers, and other road safety measures to restrict speed limit,” said E. Pavithra, a motorist. 

Officials of the State Highways Department, which maintains the facility, said as per norms, installation of new streetlights and its maintenance, including electricity charges should be borne by respective civic bodies such as the Corporation and panchayats. “Despite the stretch being used by motorists, it is not completely ready in terms of road safety measures. Additional funds are required to execute such safety measures,” said a State Highway Department official.

The new bridge on the stretch is three metres higher than the flyovers in Katpadi, which was built in 2009, to prevent damage to its structure and inundation of its carriageway. The bridge was built at a height of 20 ft from the dry riverbed.