COIMBATORE: The Highway department is moving at a snail's pace in constructing flyover on Avinashi Road and GN Mills junction, and this has put road users to severe hardship.So far, 0nl 35% work of the Rs 1,621.30 crore Avinashi Road Elevated expressway project has been completed. This is touted as the longest flyover in Tamil Nadu, and it was sanctioned in August 2020. The works began on December 3, 2020. The flyover which is 10.01 km long and 17.25m wide starts from Uppilipalayam near the police quarters and ends at the Goldwins near the KMCH. The 4-lane expressway is set to be completed by August 2024.
Of the 306 pillars, the National Highways wing of the State Highways department has completed 275 pillars. And the officials have also finished building 45 deck slabs out of 305. As part of the project, the expressway will also have 4 entry & exit points along the way. The entry and exit points of the flyover will come up at Anna Statue, Nava India, Hope College and near the Airport junction.
The highways department which began the ramp works near the Coimbatore International airport junction several weeks ago, are yet to expedite the works. Due to this, the junction, already reeled under heavy traffic, got choked in the traffic congestion.
“Students going to colleges and professionals working in the IT firms on the Kalapatti road had to endure a mammoth task in crossing the SITRA-Airport junction due to the ongoing flyover works. The works are going at a snail's pace and because of it, Coimbatore has gradually started facing Chennai and Bengaluru like traffic here. Officials must expedite the project,” said G Vignesh, an IT professional from Meena Estate.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior state highways department official said, “We have finished 272 of the 306 pillars. Of the remaining 34 pillars, 22 will come up at important junctions and crossroads. The ramp works are also being carried out in full swing. Each ramp requires 12 deck slabs. We can construct only a maximum of 4 deck slabs in a month. So we shall finish the ramp works in 3 months and traffic congestion would then be eased to a certain extent.”
Currently, the highways department has completed the construction works of a total of 276 of the 306 pillars and 45 of the 305 deck slabs of the flyover. Sources said, around Rs 400 crore fund has been allotted for this year’s works.
As the GKNM hospital junction is closed by the highways department for pillar construction, the police department has diverted the vehicles via the Coimbatore Rifle Club (PRS Ground) entrance to make a U-turn and reach Papanaickenpalayam in order to reduce the traffic.
Amidst the works, the officials have also sent a proposal to the state government for extending the flyover from Goldwins to the Chinniyampalayam junction for about 2.5 km. Also, around 1.89 hectares of land need to be acquired for TN’s longest flyover project. But the special DRO & Tahsildar are yet to finish the LA (Land Acquisition), added the sources.
Similarly, the 600-metre stretch GN Mills junction flyover which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 30 crore was scheduled to be inaugurated by August–September, this month. But the highways department officials have managed to complete only 70% of the work, once again delaying the inauguration.
“All the 15 pillars and 14 deck slabs have been full finishes. Only the approach road works are pending which will be started next week. The works got delayed due to materials and manpower problems. Workers will return next week and the progress will be expedited. We are expecting to complete the works by December end of this year,” said a National Highways official.