COIMBATORE: The district administration has directed officials to expedite the land acquisition process for widening the Sitra-Kurumbapalayam road into a four-lane carriageway. The Rs 51.22-crore project, aimed at easing congestion on the city's eastern outskirts, proposes a four-lane road with 20-metre right of way, 7.5-metre-wide carriageways on either side, a median, and pedestrian footpaths, along the 8.6-kilometre stretch from Sitra Junction on Avinashi Road to Kurumbapalayam via Kalapatti.
As portions of the existing road are only around 10 metres wide and several stretches are affected by roadside encroachments, the government has earmarked Rs 27 crore for land acquisition. Recently, Collector Pawankumar G Giriyappanavar inspected the proposed alignment and reviewed the progress of the project with officials from the highways and revenue departments. During the inspection, highway officials explained the need for acquiring additional land parcels to execute the widening work. The collector instructed revenue officials to expedite the land acquisition process.
A senior official from the state highways department told TNIE that the revenue department has completed around 30-35% of the land acquisition process, while the remaining is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In the meantime, the highways department is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the widening work.
"Once 80% of the land acquisition is completed, we will submit the proposal to the state government, seeking administrative sanction. The road widening work is expected to commence in January or February 2027," added the official.
The Sitra-Kurumbapalayam road has been identified as a crucial corridor owing to the increasing volume of vehicles, particularly tourists travelling to Ooty and the Nilgiris. The existing two-lane road frequently witnesses traffic bottlenecks, prompting repeated demands from motorists and residents for its expansion. Once the work is complete, the corridor is expected to provide a smoother alternative route to Mettupalayam via Kovilpalayam.