COIMBATORE: Public works and highways minister EV Velu laid the foundation stone for the first phase of western ring road, which will connect Kochi bypass with Mettupalayam, on Friday. The project will be built in three phases. In the first phase, the road will be built for 11.80 km from Mayilkal near Madukkarai to Mathampatti at a cost of Rs 206.53 crore.
Addressing media persons, Velu said the first phase will be completed in two years. “To ease traffic congestion in Coimbatore, former chief minister M Karunanidhi announced the project in 2007 and finalised it in 2009. However, the project got delayed. When we conducted a meeting with industrialists, they asked for the project to be implemented soon.
Based on that, the government expedited the project and split it into three phases. Around 95% of land acquisition for the second phase has been completed and work is on to acquire land for the third phase,” the minister said, adding some farmlands were acquired due to unavoidable circumstances.
He further said the Avinashi Road flyover will be completed in August 2024. S Muthusamy, Minister for Housing and Urban development, was present during the review meeting in which flyover works in Ukkadam and expansion of Maruthamalai road was also discussed.