Latest news with #ComprehensiveRoadInfrastructureDevelopmentProgramme
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Continuing accidents turn the spotlight on greenfield project plan for Tiruchi-Karur Highway
The road accident causing the death of the Revenue Divisional Officer of Musiri on the Tiruchi-Karur Highway on Thursday has brought to the fore the demand for building a greenfield highway between the two cities. Activists have expressed concern that there was no sign of accidents coming down even after the State Highways Department widened the stretch a few years ago. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had widened the Tiruchi-Karur Highway beyond Thindukarai several years ago. A bypass was to be laid between Panjapur on Tiruchi-Madurai highway and Thindukarai. The 11-km stretch from Thindukarai to Tiruchi, with sharp and dangerous curves, was widened from its earlier width of seven metres to up to 10.5 metres under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme 2019-20. However, accidents continue unabated on the road, the most recent one claiming the life of the senior Revenue Department Officer at Kadiyakurichi near Jeeeyapuram. Locals cite overspeeding as the main reason for accidents. Commuters traversing the stretch every day face the brunt of the problem. Accidents are frequent in Jeeyapuram and Pettavaithalai police station limits. 'The widening of the stretch does not seem have to helped bring down accidents,' said P. Ayyarappan, a member of District Road Safety Council and president, Road Users Welfare Association. There has been a number of accidents involving barricades, which are placed to force the vehicles to slow down, at various places, he said. Conceding that there was a need to give a push to the greenfield highway project as a long term measure, Mr. Ayyarappan suggested that medians could be built wherever possible in the meantime. 'There is enough space to widen the road by another two metres on either side at various stretches of the highway,' Mr. Ayyarappan said. Once the Panjapur-Thindukarai bypass is built, traffic density is bound to increase beyond Thindukarai. Speed guns should be installed and overspeeding should be penalised. Besides, highway patrolling by the police should be intensified, he added. Although the NHAI is preparing a detailed project report for the greenfield highway from Tiruchi to Karur, it has been progressing at a slow pace. The new alignment is planned 'at an offset of 12 to 13 km from the existing highway.' However, according to sources, the DPR is expected to be completed in another 10 to 12 months. Plea rejected The NHAI had rejected a plea from the public to develop an alternative road between Allithurai and Mayanur Tollgate. N. Jamaluddin, a civic activist, said the NHAI, in a reply to his petition on the matter in September 2024, had said that the task of preparing the DPR for the greenfield highway had been given to a Hyderabad agency in December 2017. 'The DPR preparation is taking such a long time while fatal accidents are taking place every other week so much so that we are forced to avoid the highway. The NHAI should expedite the process,' he said. The plan was discussed at the recent meeting of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee by Tiruchi and Karur MPs Durai Vaiko and S. Jothimani and both had promised to take up the matter, Mr. Ayyarappan said. At a press conference on Thursday, Mr. Durai Vaiko said he would take up the issue with the NHAI officials soon.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Highways Department to repair Palakkarai Main Road within a few days
Restoration work will be taken up in the next few days on the Palakkarai Main Road, which had been dug up for laying underground sewer lines, sources in the Highways Department said on Thursday. The poor condition of the road, following the execution of the UGD work, had triggered a road blockade by irate residents near Warehouse in the city on Wednesday. According to Highways Department sources, the UGD work was completed five days ago and the road, which is under the maintenance of the department, will be restored within the next few days. Sources said a proposal to relay the Thanjavur Main Road for a stretch of about 1.2 km from the Palpannai Junction towards Gandhi Market is expected to be sanctioned soon. The work would be taken up under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme. The road has developed several potholes after the execution of the underground sewer line work, much to the inconvenience of motorists.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Construction of bypass to reduce traffic congestion in Tirupattur town begins
Work on the construction of a four-lane bypass between Ratchamangalam and Damalerimuthur villages on Tirupattur-Singarapettai High Road to decongest Tirupattur town has begun. Officials of the State Highways said the bypass was aimed at providing an alternative route for long-distance travellers and commercial vehicles to go to places such as Dharmapuri, Salem, Tiruvannamalai, and Bargur at Damalerimuthur village. 'Ambulances find it difficult to reach the nearest government hospitals via the narrow stretches of the town as lorries use the same roads to reach the Salem-Vaniyambadi Highway. The bypass will reduce traffic in the town,' S. Priya, a motorist, said. The bypass — to be laid for a distance of 14.35 km in two phases — will also help local motorists to make use of the Tirupattur-Singarapettai High Road to reach the centre of the town. It will be constructed at least 3 km-4 km away from the road to prevent commercial vehicles from entering the town while travelling to other districts. At present, the key stretch witnesses continuous flow of heavy vehicles, resulting in traffic congestion and accidents on the route. 'As per estimates, more than 14,000 vehicles pass through Tirupattur town to go to Krishnagiri, Salem and Chennai. The work on the bypass will be completed in 2026,' K.R. Rajathi, Assistant Executive Engineer, State Highways (NABARD), told The Hindu. Funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme 2023-24, the ₹41.5 crore work includes 10-metre-wide carriageway, 1.2-metre-wide median, footpath, LED street lights and high mast lamps. It will connect at least eight farming villages to Tirupattur town. It will also help villages in Natrampalli, Jolarpet and Tirupattur panchayat unions to easily access key towns such as Ambur, Vaniyambadi, and Vellore.
