COIMBATORE: With the Western Ring Road Project being carried out in full swing, residents have raised concerns over the lack of access, to service roads. After a dispute broke out between the people and the highways department officials during official inspection, the highways department assured to construct access roads.
The Western Ring Road also called the Western Bypass Road, spanning 32.43 km, is being developed to connect Mylkal on the Salem-Cochin Road (SHU 52) with Narasimhanaickenpalayam on the Nagapattinam-Gudalur-Mysore Road (NH67) via 15 revenue villages.
The first phase of the project, covering an 11.80 km stretch from Madukkarai to Madampatti, was launched in August 2023 for Rs 250 crore. It is expected to be completed by August- September 2025.
Around nine rural roads intersect with the 11 km stretch in Phase 1. Citing a lack of service roads, on the Western Bypass leading to the village road, farmers say they will be unable to reach their homes and farmlands.
People of 10 villages started a ‘Western Bypass Protection Committee’, insisting on the construction of a service road on the bypass and submitted a petition to the collector.
South RDO Ramkumar was appointed to investigate the petition.
RDO along with the villagers and SH officials inspected the project works recently. At that time, farmers and the public insisted on the construction of a service road at nine places on the Western Bypass from Madukkarai to Chellapagaundanputhur.
A senior official from the SH department, Coimbatore division told TNIE, “We had planned to construct link roads at 3 places on the 11.8 km stretch at Arivozhi Nagar, Theethipalayam and Kikani School. However, the people had put forth a list of demands which included setting up access roads at nine intersections on the stretch and a service road. While we can set up access roads for all nine places, we can only construct the service road from the sixth kilometre to the 11th km owing to the norms.”
He added, “A total of 28 culverts and 13 minor bridges are being constructed. Of the 45 m of available land, the four-lane road is being constructed on 26 m of land. We shall flatten the earthen road on the sides and construct a service road based on people’s requests. However, a separate proposal will be prepared for this and sent to the government for approval. We can start with the work only after receiving a nod and funds from the government.”