Coimbatore section of NH 67 handed over to State Government

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways may fund maintenance

The NH 67 in Coimbatore from Chinthamanipudur junction to Mettupalayam has been handed over from the NHAI to the State Government for maintenance. Photo: K.Ananthan.

Maintenance of the National Highways (NH) 67 stretch from Coimbatore to Mettupalayam and from Mettupalayam to Kakanallah (Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border) has been handed over to the State Government by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

According to a communication dated December 27, 2013 from the Union Ministry, maintenance of some of the stretches entrusted to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) in the State has been handed over to the State Government and it may be carried out with funds provided by the Ministry.

An official of the NHAI here said that the NH 67 road for 174 km (from the bypass road junction at Chinthamanipudur to Kakanallah), including 114 km of ghat road, will now be maintained by the State Highways Department. Though estimates were prepared for repair and maintenance of the road from Narasimhanaikenpalayam to Mettupalayam and the ghat road, these will be handed over to the State Highways to be finalised and sent to the Ministry. Works that are going on will be completed.

Meanwhile, Coimbatore Corporation has taken up restoration of one km stretch on either side of the Ondipudur flyover as the road was damaged when utility line works were taken up.

An official of the State Highways department here told The Hindu that the department has started preparing the estimate for maintenance of the road.

K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said that handing over the stretch to the State Highways Department is a welcome measure.

The road from Narasimhanaikenpalayam to Mettupalayam needs urgent attention as there are several accidents on it and the stretch is in a poor condition. The Union Government should give funds immediately for maintenance of the road and then take up repair and widening works.

M. Devendran, secretary of the Mettupalayam Road Protection Association, says that the stretch from Narasimhanaikenpalayam to Mettupalayam should be widened to a four-lane road with median to avoid accidents.

The stretch should be studied and a plan prepared.