Kamal Ghorui
Coimbatore: The city police have banned motorists from using major flyovers, including the ones on Trichy Road, Avinashi Road and at Ukkadam, during night hours to reduce accidents.While these flyovers were constructed to ease traffic congestion in the city, a police officer said, several fatal and non-fatal accidents were being reported on these elevated roads during late-night hours. “Between Oct 2025 and March 2026, seven non-fatal accidents were reported on GD Naidu flyover on Avinashi Road alone. A few days ago, a 22-year-old auto driver, identified as G Mariyasamy, was killed in a road accident on Singanallur flyover.” To prevent such accidents, the city police have now banned motorists from using the GD Naidu flyover and the flyovers at Ramanathapuram, Ukkadam and Gandhipuram Road from 11pm to 6am. According to city police commissioner N Kannan, accident data showed that many motorists were driving at high speed on flyovers and getting involved in accidents. “Flyovers are built to reduce traffic congestion. Since traffic on the city roads is minimal after 11pm, motorists could use alternative roads. We also have received information about youths engaging in racing on flyovers late at night. The ban will help prevent such illegal racing and fatal accidents.” K Kathirmathiyon, secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, welcomed the move. He said police should be prepared to allow public access to flyovers, if traffic increases during night hours. “Only the flyovers with alternative routes have been banned. So, the move will 0not cause any major inconvenience to the public.”
