Stick to the approved proposal of widening the existing national highway stretch between Palladam and Vellakoil, and drop the new plan to lay a new road, is the demand of a section of farmers from Palladam, Avinashipalayam, and Pongalur among others.
They, along with other residents in these areas have asked the District Collector, K.S. Palanisamy, to do the needful.
They were of the view was that the new alignment would destroy poultry and agriculture activities along the stretch.
The new alignment will force those from Tirupur, Palladam, and Kangayam to travel more to reach the new road. Naturally, they would try to use the old route itself.
The existing highway passes through Kangayam, Avinashipalayam, and Pongalur towns and has enough space for its widening. But the new alignment will not touch these towns and did not have adequate entry or exit points to reach these areas, said Arul Selvan, coordinator of the people’s movement now opposing the new alignment.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director U. Udhayasankar told The Hindu that the new alignment mostly goes through unused land, and would have adequate exit points to reach Vellakoil, Kangayam, Palladam, Pongalur and various other villages.
“We will also provide pedestrian underpasses in agriculture sectors to enable farmers to comfortably cross the highway,” he said.
