TIRUCHY: The union government in 2023 announced that the Tiruchy-Thuraiyur state highway would be upgraded as a four-lane road under Phase II of the Chennai-Kanniyakumari Industrial Corridor Project (CKICP). But till date not even work on Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been completed, highway department sources said.
Road users are keenly waiting for the project as it would reduce the distance from Tiruchy to Salem, Bengaluru, and several hill stations in the eastern ghats.
From Thuraiyur Anna Bus Stand, the 34-km road runs through Kalipatti, Pagalavadi, Karattampatti, Pulivalam, Peramangalam, Thiruvellarai, Poonampalayam, Othakadai, Ethumalai Road, Mannachanallur, and Nochiyam before reaching Tiruchy city.
“Of the nine taluks in Tiruchy, Thuraiyur and Musiri are the only two where basic road infrastructure has not yet been adequately developed. Since the Musiri-Nochiyam stretch lies between the Cauvery and Kollidam rivers, road expansion is difficult beyond a certain limit.
The Thuraiyur-Tiruchy stretch is crucial and should be developed, as the distance to Salem from Tiruchy would be reduced compared to the existing route via Musiri and Namakkal, said N Saravanan, an activist and faculty member at a private arts and science college.
“The existing route via Namakkal is around 155 kilometres, and the distance via Thuraiyur will be about 140 kilometres. Once completed, the road would help fuel cost and time,” he added.
This stretch would also connect all five Eastern Ghats - Pachamalai Hills, Kolli Hills, Kalvarayan Hills, Servarayan Hills, and Javvathu Hills. From Valappadi, tourists can reach Kalvarayan Hills, Servarayan Hills, and Javvathu Hills, while Pachamalai Hills and Kolli Hills are located near Thuraiyur and Namakkal.
P Ayyarappan, coordinator of the road users welfare committee, said the project is crucial for infrastructure development. “The process of converting the stretch into a four-lane road should be expedited as the number of vehicles in the stretch has increased manifold.”
Official sources said the Athur-Malliyakarai stretch in Salem has been completed. But work on the Malliyakarai-Thammampatti, Thammampatti-Thuraiyur, and Thuraiyur-Nochiyam (Tiruchy) stretches are yet to start. Kannan, Divisional Engineer of the state highways department said that preparation of DPR was on.