A new bypass road around Manachanallur, which will ease traffic congestion in the town famous for its rice mills on the outskirts of Tiruchi city, is expected to be ready by mid-December.
Close on the heels of completion of the bypass, the Highways Department has planned to prepare a detailed project report for laying another bypass around the town, this one branching off from Samayapuram-Manachanallur Road.
The new bypass road on Tiruchi-Thuraiyur Road, which is nearing completion, runs a length of about 2.64 km and was sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹25.15 crore.
The bypass, which starts near Panguni Vaical (beyond Nochiyam) at Athani joins Thuraiyur Road again beyond Manachanallur Taluk Office, averting the need for motorists to go via the congested Manachanallur town.
The project was announced in the 2012-13 budget session of Assembly. The government had then sanctioned ₹14.40 crore to acquire about seven hectares of land spread over Manachanallur, Uluthankudi and Poonampalayam revenue villages for laying the road.
The construction of the by-pass road would come as a relief to motorists traversing Tiruchi-Thuraiyur Road and residents of Manchanallur, which witnesses frequent traffic snarls on Local Fund Road.
The narrow road has been bursting at its seams due to heavy traffic and encroachments. Residents of Manachanallur, while welcoming the project, have, however, emphasised the need for removing encroachments to ease traffic flow on Local Fund Road.
The bypass road will be ready to be opened for traffic by mid-December as a major portion of the work has been completed, sources in the Highways Department told The Hindu .
Awaits sanction
Meanwhile, the department is awaiting administrative sanction for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for a second bypass around the town. Once the sanction is obtained, an agency will be commissioned to prepare the DPR for the second bypass for the town, which is planned from Vengankudi on Samayapuram-Manchanallur Road to Athani on Tiruchi-Thuraiyur Road, a distance of about 2.83 km.
The road is expected to entail an investment of about ₹40 crore approximately. It will also involve land acquisition, the sources indicated.
“The administrative sanction is expected soon and the DPR will most probably be ready by January,” an official said.
The second by-pass road will be of immense benefit for motorists, officials said. Vehicles heading towards Musiri/Namakkal/Salem and beyond from Tiruchi-Chennai Highway and those plying on the return direction can go through the road without having to enter Tiruchi city and the busy No.1 Tollgate Junction.
Similarly, those heading to Thuraiyur from Samayapuram can also take the bypass roads and save substantial time and fuel by avoiding Manachanallur town, officials said.
Conceding that the proposed bypass would be of immense benefit to the town, S. Chandrasekaran, a businessman of Manachanallur, observes that it will be of even more benefit than the bypass, which is to be opened shortly.
“The traffic congestion, especially at Thirupainjeeli Road junction at Manachanallur, will be completely eased. Besides, the second bypass will be useful to devotees visiting Samayapuram from Namakkal/Salem and beyond,” Mr. Chandrasekaran adds.
