A map showing the alignment for western bypass road project in Coimbatore city | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Works started in Coimbatore city on Friday to develop one of the long-pending infrastructure demands of Coimbatore city - the western ring road.
Minister for Highways and Public Works E.V. Velu and Minister for Housing S. Muthusamy launched the construction works for the first phase of the road project. The first phase from Madukkarai (Mayilkal) to Madhampatti will be a four-lane road developed at ₹ 250 crore. It will have 13 minor bridges, two flyovers (Madukkarai and Madhampatti), three bus terminals, and improvement of junctions. The works will be completed in two years.
Land acquired for the first phase is 137 acres, including government land and 118 acres of private land.
Mr. Velu told presspersons that it was the DMK government that mooted the project in 2007. The design was prepared in 2009. But, the project slowed down after that. After the DMK came to power in 2021, it was decided to take up the project in three phases - from Madukkarai to Madhampatti in phase one, Madhampatti to Kanuvai in phase two and Kanuvai to Narasimhanaikenpalayam in phase three. Almost 90 % land acquisition was completed for phase two too.
A map showing the alignment for western bypass road project in Coimbatore city PHOTO: Special arrangement | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Flyover at Singanallur
Apart from this project, bids have been called for construction of flyovers at Singanallur and Saibaba Colony junction. The Highways Department is maintaining 368 km roads at ₹770 crore in Coimbatore district and constructing 14 bridges at ₹284 crore. The Avinashi road flyover will be completed by next August. The State Highways Department has got ₹638 crore from the Central government to develop the Sathyamangalam bypass and will start works for it too.
Denying allegations that infrastructure works were slow in the district, he said the AIADMK government shelved the projects that were mooted by the DMK government. However, the State government now was going ahead with the projects mooted by the previous government, he said.
