Mettupalayam, a key town connecting Coimbatore and the Nilgiris, needs a bypass road at the earliest and the Chief Minister should intervene and ensure that the road is developed, said Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K. Kathirmathiyon.
For more than a year, the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department has not finalised a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for Karamadai - Mettupalayam bypass though it is a dire need for all those travelling to and from the Nilgiris, a major tourist destination, he said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned a 7.25 km bypass road for Mettupalayam town more than 15 years ago as part of the Coimbatore - Mettupalayam bypass for 54 km. But, the entire project was dropped in 2013 as the then State government did not approve of the project as a toll road.
However, considering the importance and necessity for a bypass road for Mettupalayam town, the State government decided to develop a Mettupalayam bypass on the same alignment proposed by NHAI and accorded administrative sanction in October 2014. Though land was identified and notified for acquisition for the project, the State Highways Department said a couple of years ago that it has stopped works for the project and wanted the NH wing to take it up, “In order to avoid huge cost required for land acquisition and to avail MORTH funding”.
Mr. Kathirtmathiyon said, “In fact with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways taking over the project, the land cost can be more than triple the present amount and it may take more than a decade for the road to come up.”
The NH wing called for bids to prepare the DPR on the same alignment and in May last year decided to drop the existing alignment and go in for a fresh alignment for a Karamadai-Mettupalayam bypass. “In the last one year, it has not finalised the consultant to prepare the DPR,” he said.
Questioning the need for the State Highways Department to give away the project to the NH wing after spending huge amount of money, he said the existing road is a “nightmare” for those travelling through Mettupalayam as the road is congested. Those who are travelling for emergency purposes, especially are hit.
The State Highways should continue with the project so that the road becomes a reality and considering its importance, the Chief Minister should intervene, he added.
