COIMBATORE: The National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) decision to discontinue the proposed Coimbatore Eastern Bypass/Ring Road and the Coimbatore-Karur Greenfield Expressway has triggered a huge uproar among industrialists, social activists and residents, who have termed the move a major setback to the city's long-term infrastructure and economic growth.
According to an official communication issued by the NHAI in response to a grievance petition filed by an activist, the earlier Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Karur-Coimbatore Greenfield Corridor, including the Coimbatore Eastern Bypass, has been foreclosed following directions from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The authority stated that a fresh DPR is now being prepared for a new Tiruchy-Karur-Coimbatore Greenfield Corridor, while clarifying that no separate proposal for the Coimbatore Eastern Bypass has been approved so far.
The NHAI further stated that the alignment, land acquisition requirements, project cost and other technical details of the new corridor would be finalised only after completion of the DPR and approval from the competent authority. It also noted that the feasibility of the Eastern Bypass could be examined separately in the future, subject to traffic demand, technical feasibility, funding availability and government approval.
The development has drawn sharp criticism from stakeholders, as both projects were first proposed in 2016 and their DPRs were completed in 2018. Together, the projects were estimated to cost Rs 7,565 crore.
The proposed 81-km Eastern Bypass, estimated at Rs 3,945.86 crore, was designed to connect Narasimhanaickenpalayam with Kaniyur and Madukkarai, linking six major National Highways including, Avinashi Road (NH-544), Tiruchy Road (NH-81), Mettupalayam Road (NH-181), Sathyamangalam Road (NH-948), Pollachi Road (NH-83) and Palakkad Road (NH-544).
The bypass was expected to ease traffic congestion, improve freight movement and create opportunities for planned urban expansion, including industrial parks, IT campuses, residential townships and commercial developments.
The proposed 120-km Coimbatore-Karur Greenfield Expressway was expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to around 60 to 90 minutes while opening up large stretches of dry land across Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Karur districts for industrial and MSME development.
Expressing concern over the decision, J Sathish Kumar, director of the Kongu Global Forum, told TNIE, "The Eastern Bypass is one of the most critical infrastructure projects for Coimbatore. Dropping it is a grave mistake. The road would have decongested traffic on six NHs and two state highways. Compared to cities like Madurai, which have well-developed bypasses and ring roads, Coimbatore continues to lag behind despite being one of TN's largest industrial and economic hubs."
He said the city, which has one of the highest vehicle densities in the state, urgently requires modern road infrastructure to support its rapid growth. "We strongly oppose the NHAI's decision to drop the Eastern Bypass project. Several industrial associations have decided to submit a representation to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging the centre to revive these crucial projects," he added.
Stakeholders have also appealed to the MoRTH and NHAI to reconsider the decision, arguing that the Eastern Bypass is not merely a road project but a strategic investment that would strengthen regional connectivity, attract fresh investments, generate employment and sustain Coimbatore's position as one of India's leading manufacturing and economic centres.