COIMBATORE: The State Highways Department, as part of the Ukkadam Flyover project, has planned to build a roundabout at the Kurichi Pirivu-Podanur Road junction, removing the existing traffic signals and leveling the irregular gradient of the road. The work is set to begin in about a month.
The Ukkadam flyover was inaugurated by Chief Minister M K Stalin on August 9 in Coimbatore this year. The flyover work was carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 481.95 core for a length of 3.8 km which included seven up and down ramps.
As part of the project, roundabouts are constructed at Ukkadam Police Station-Perur Bypass Road Junction, Ukkadam Bus Stand-Valankulam Road Junction, Vincent Road-Valankulam Road Junction and Aathupalam Junction. While the officials have completed constructing the concrete structures of the roundabout, soil filling, sapling planting, painting, and other improvement works, the roundabouts are pending.
Vehicles coming from Aathuppalam, Pollachi Road, and Podanur Road meet at the Kurichi Pirivu-Podanur junction. Owing to this, the traffic congestion was quite high at the junction. Even though the junction is equipped with an automatic traffic control signal, frequent accidents were reported at the spot. Also, vehicles proceeding from Pollachi Road do not wait at the signal.
So, considering these factors, the State Highways Department officials have decided to construct another roundabout at the Kurichi Pirivu-Podanur Road junction near the Ukkadam Flyover's Pollachi Road Ramp. It was decided to construct the roundabout during the paving of the four-lane road from Kurichi Pirivu to Podanur Railway Station by the highways officials. Given this, a fund of Rs 1.8 crore was allocated and the tender for the works was also been finalised.
A senior official from the State Highways Department, Coimbatore division, told TNIE, "The final stage of roundabout works that were taken up as part of the Ukkadam flyover is being carried out in full swing. Apart from the four roundabouts that are already in progress, a new roundabout is set to be built at the Kurichi Pirivu-Podanur Road junction at a cost of Rs 1.8 crore.
Apart from the roundabout's construction work, the uneven road height will be adjusted for about 500 metres from the junction including 300 metres towards the Aathupalam junction, 100 metres towards the Podanur Road, and the remaining 100 metres towards the Pollachi Road. The irregular gradient will be levelled and a roundabout of 26 m in diameter will be built at the junction. The work will begin in about a month."