COIMBATORE: In a major administrative shift, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to take over the control and maintenance of two national highways currently overseen by the NH wing of the State Highways Department in Coimbatore.
The move comes with a clear warning that failure to hand over the roads within 15 days will result in the suspension of maintenance funds within the next 30 days.
The highways identified for the first phase of takeover include the 115-kilometre-long Trichy Road (NH 81), which connects Coimbatore with Karur, and the 120 km long Sathyamangalam (Sathy) Road (NH 948), which extends toward Mysore and Bengaluru.
At present, the State Highways NH wing maintains four major stretches in the district, including Trichy Road, Mettupalayam Road, Sathyamangalam Road and Pollachi Road. Under the revised arrangement, the responsibility for roads above four-lane classification will lie with NHAI, while the State Highways Department will continue to manage four- lane and smaller roads.
Sources in the department said that official instructions have been issued to transfer both highways to NHAI control within 15 days. The directive also states that any delay in complying will lead to an immediate freeze of central funds allocated for their maintenance, a measure intended to ensure swift administrative transition.
K Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and a member of the Coimbatore District Road Safety Committee, welcomed the move. Speaking to TNIE, he pointed out inconsistencies in the way national highway works were being carried out under the SH Department's NH wing.
"Funds for salary and project works are released by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, but the implementation is controlled by the State Highways Department. The quality of national highway works in Coimbatore has been poor, with the Periyanayakkanpalayam flyover and the ongoing Saibaba Colony flyover project being the best examples of it. Handing over these two roads to NHAI is the right step.
Kathirmathiyon also said that the current transfers are only part of the first phase. After Trichy Road and Sathy Road, the Mettupalayam Road and Avinashi Road may also be taken over by NHAI in the next phase.
With the takeover, officials expect improved maintenance quality and faster project execution, marking a significant shift in highway governance in the Coimbatore district.