COIMBATORE: Residents and tourists visiting Karumalai Balaji Temple at Valparai have urged authorities to widen the road leading to the temple. Thousands of devotees visit the famous temple everyday, along with other tourist destinations like the Karumalai Velankanni Matha Church, Iraichal Parai Waterfalls, Karumalai Waterfalls, and Akkamalai.
Several stretches of the road from Valparai to Karumalai remain narrow, leading to frequent accidents. Additionally, a trench dug for laying drinking water pipelines on the Nadumalai-Pachamalai-Karumalai route has not been properly closed, making the road nearly impassable in some areas.
M Ramesh, a resident, said the road is too narrow for heavy traffic, especially on weekends and festivals. “With frequent tourist buses and private vehicles travelling this route, accidents are very common. Authorities must act immediately to prevent further mishaps. The trench has not been closed properly for weeks, making it impossible for vehicles to pass safely. It needs to be fixed before monsoon begins, or the situation will worsen,” he added.
S Balaji, a local travel operator, said, “During peak season, our vehicles struggle to navigate narrow sections. If the road is widened and speed breakers are installed at key places, it will benefit both tourists and locals.” Residents have urged the highways department to take immediate action and complete expansion before onset of monsoon. They hope that swift action will prevent further accidents and improve accessibility to one of Valparai’s most popular religious and tourist destinations.
A senior official from the State Highways Department in Coimbatore told TNIE, “Only the first 4 km of the road leading to Balaji temple belong to the highways department, and the remaining stretch is controlled by the local body. The highway road is a bit wider than the municipal road. If they hand over the remaining stretch to highways, we shall check the feasibility.”