DHARMAPURI: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has received 34 acres of land and cleared over 1,400 trees since February in Thoppur for constructing an elevated highway along the Thoppur ghat road.
Two years ago, the union government announced the construction plan in order to reduce the number of accidents. NHAI officials stated that the project would take at least three years to complete.
In 2022, the NHAI announced Thoppur ghat road as a ‘black spot’ due to the number of accidents that happen here. Between 2012 and 2021, 558 accidents took place in which at least 684 people were injured and 208 people died. In 2022, 92 people were injured and nine deaths were reported. In 2023, and 2024, nine fatalities were reported in the stretch.
To fix the ghat road, NHAI proposed an elevated highway at the cost of Rs 775 crore.
Speaking to TNIE, ifficials in the Dharmapuri administration said, “ As part of the Thoppur highway construction, over 2.7 hectare of revenue lands from Dharmapuri, 1.71 hectares of revenue lands from Salem and 13.42 hectares of land belonging to the Forest department have been acquired.
The forest staff have been compensated for 34 acres near Kammampatti.”
Officials in the regional transport office said, “In the past six months the Dharmapuri - Salem (left lane) has been expanded by 5.5 metres. Further, vehicles have been segregated between Kattamedu and twin bridge to prevent accidents.”
Commenting on land acquisition, a forest department staff said, “A total of 1,400 trees have been axed to accommodate the new roads. We have been compensated for the land and over 200 trees will be planted per acre. Funds will be provided to the forest department to plant saplings in the next five years.”