COIMBATORE: The much-delayed rectification work on the Periyanaickenpalayam flyover on Mettupalayam Road has finally commenced as the land acquisition for the project has been completed and landowners are expected to receive compensation by this week.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) official confirmed that once the compensation is credited, the owners will be issued notices to vacate, after which the affected buildings will be demolished.
The Centre had sanctioned Rs 7.5 crore for the rectification and upgrade works seven months back, but the work was stalled due to prolonged negotiations with landowners. Land had to be acquired from seven property owners to realign and widen the service road. About Rs 1.5 crore from the sanctioned fund has been earmarked as compensation for landowners.
"The service road's alignment will be corrected by widening the stretch, and street lights will be installed along the flyover. Although the contract period is nine months, we have instructed the contractor to complete the work within six months," the official said.
The 1,850m structure, built at a cost of Rs 115.5 crore to ease traffic congestion at the busy junction, has been mired in controversy since its inauguration, with motorists and experts flagging serious design flaws that compromise safety.
Originally approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), work on the flyover began in November 2020 and was completed in December 2023. The project, which was expected to streamline traffic towards the Nilgiris, instead drew ridicule for its poor planning and execution. Commuters complained of numerous undulations and bumps on the bridge, the absence of proper street lights and stormwater drains, and most notably, a dangerously aligned service road.
The most glaring hazard lies at the 0-point junction, where vehicles heading towards Mettupalayam from Coimbatore are forced to make a sharp 90-degree right turn to merge on the main road, followed by an abrupt left to avoid oncoming traffic descending from the flyover ramp. Traffic experts pointed out that such a design violates Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines, which call for smooth transitions for merging vehicles.
Alarmed by the risks, K Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and a member of the Coimbatore Road Safety Panel, wrote to the Prime Minister's Office and the Centre highlighting the structural flaws and questioning the approval process that allowed the flyover to open in its current state. Following several representations, the Road Wing under MoRTH prepared a detailed project report (DPR) seeking funds to carry out corrective measures.