Administrative sanction awaited

The proposal for a 32-km western bypass road from Madukkarai to Narasimhanaikenpalayam, which is one of the long-pending demands of the city, is waiting for administrative sanction of the government.

An official of the State Highways Department says that the government is expected to provide administration sanction for the western bypass project soon and the department would issue a notification for land acquisition after that.

The proposed four-lane road will be about 12 km from the city. The outgo for land acquisition is expected to be Rs. 320 crore.

The western bypass project was announced by the State Government in 2010 from Kuniamuthur to Thudiyalur for 26 km. The project cost was estimated to be nearly Rs. 280 crore then. The proposal was revised later, with a new alignment.

The government has to decide the method of implementing the project – whether to be in phases, or to be taken up as a whole.

K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, says that one of the reasons for revising the alignment is to ensure that houses constructed on the lands proposed to be acquired are not affected.

Registration of properties on the proposed alignment has been frozen. There should not be any more delay in giving the required sanctions, so that the project cost does not escalate further, he said.