COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Division of the State Highways Department is set to widen the Cowley Brown Road and the Marudhamalai Main Road for a stretch of three kilometres, given the rising number of vehicles and traffic congestion on these roads.
As the Lawley Road junction connects motorists and commuters from major areas like Gandhipark, RS Puram, Marudhamalai, Mettupalayam Road and Edayarpalayam, traffic at this junction has been on the rise. The highways department had also proposed a flyover at the junction to reduce congestion, but this is currently in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, district road safety committee officials removed traffic signals at Lawley Road junction on Thadagam Road and replaced them with a permanent roundabout structure to ease vehicular movement.
Now, the highways department officials plan to widen the 1.2 km stretch of Cowley Brown Road starting from Mettupalayam Road to Lawley Road junction roundabout and a 2 km stretch on Marudhamalai Road starting from Lawley Road junction roundabout to Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) into a four-lane road.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior official from the highways department said, “For Cowley Brown Road, about 10 metres of land from the Forest College and Quarters in the 1.2km stretch will be acquired. Similarly, on Marudhamalai Road, we need to acquire lands between 1-3 metres from TNAU for a stretch of 2 km.
The TNAU has requested us to ensure that the newly built Botanical Garden’s entrance structure is not affected. We’ve begun surveying lands and also commenced preparation of a DPR for sending a proposal to the state government. Once the government gives administrative sanction for our proposal, we will begin work.”
Sources in the highways department also added that they have two plans which include constructing a flyover with a roundabout and ramps on all 4 sides of the road at Lawley Road junction. The other plan is to widen the road and improve the existing roundabout at the junction. As both TNAU and the Forest College campus are government properties, lands will be earmarked and officially handed over to the highways department for widening works soon, added the sources.