CHENNAI:Motorists from Western parts of Vellore district who are heading to Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital (GVMCH) at Adukkamparai will soon get relief from entering Vellore city, as the National highways wing of the State Highways department plans to lay a 22-km bypass road soon.
Recently, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had approved the State government’s proposal to develop 49.5 km bypass roads in Vellore district and sanctioned Rs 138.06 crore.
The roads, a 21-km Vellore bypass road from Vandarathangal to Sathumadhurai via Poigai, a 19.5 km stretch from Kandaneri to Nelvoy road, and 9 km Gudiyatham bypass road.The proposed bypass road would start at Vandarathangal on National Highway 75 (old no NH 234) in Katpadi - Latteri - Gudiyatham section and end at Sathumadhurai on NH 75 in Northern Part of Vellore on Vellore - Arani road. The road would pass through Chennai - Bengaluru Highway (NH 48) at Poigai.
“The 21-km stretch between Vandarathangal and Sathumadhurai has got two lane roads without connectivity and had shrunk to a single lane at few villages. The entire 21 km road would be developed as a two lane road with 1.5 metres paved shoulders on both sides. It will pass through 13 villages,” said a senior official of National highways wing. Similarly, the existing 19.5 km two lane-road from Kandaneri to Nelvoy on Pallikonda - Nelvoy road would also be provided with 1.5 metres paved shoulders. The bypass road would provide connectivity for vehicles from Villupuram, Kalasapakkam and Arani to Bengaluru, Chittoor and Gudiyatham, thereby enabling them to skip Vellore city.
Particularly, accident victims and patients from Anikattu, Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur, Gudiyatham, and Natrampalli can save the ‘golden hours’ in reaching GVMCH.“Vellore remains one of the districts with a high number of fatal accidents in Tamil Nadu. Ambulances from western part of Vellore could save 20 to 30 minutes while trying to reach the government hospital without entering Vellore,” added the official.
Similarly, a nine-km stretch between Nellorpettai and Sethuvandai via Gudiyatham bus stand, on NH 75 would also be widened into a two lane road with paved shoulders on both sides. The project would be executed under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract model and the contract company should maintain the road for a few years.
