Expand Neelambur bypass in Coimbatore into six-lane expressway: Codissia
Coimbatore: The Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) has urged the Union road transport and highways ministry to expand the two-lane Neelambur bypass into a six-lane expressway with service roads.
The association has also sought construction of flyovers at key intersections, to enhance road safety and connectivity.
In a letter to Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, Codissia president M Karthikeyan highlighted that Coimbatore had contributed Rs2 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu's gross state domestic product last year and that one of India's first projects under the build-operate-transfer model was implemented in the district - a 27km stretch between Neelambur and Madukkarai that provides vital access to Kerala from various parts of the country.
"While both ends of the bypass road are six-lane expressways, the central 27km stretch abruptly narrows into a two-lane road. This segment is riddled with blackspots and is highly dangerous, with frequent accidents and loss of lives," he said.
Now that the National Highways Authority of India has taken over the project from L&T after a prolonged effort, the Union transport and highways ministry should take steps to upgrade this two-lane stretch into a six-lane expressway with service roads, he said.
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"Once completed, this will become a model road in Coimbatore, improving access to the new airport terminal, container corporation, railway goods shed, industrial parks, educational institutions, hospitals, IT parks, shopping malls, entertainment centres, residential areas and more," Karthikeyan said.
He then appealed the Union minister to implement the project at the earliest, stating it would be a major relief not only for the people of Coimbatore but also for commuters from Kerala traveling to Bengaluru, Chennai and other regions.
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