COIMBATORE: Traffic congestion on the old Uppilipalayam Flyover is unlikely to end anytime soon as the special projects and national highways wings of the State Highways Department in Coimbatore Division are competing with each other for the project widen the structure.
At the beginning of January, a LPG tanker from Kochi capsized on the 50-year-old flyover. Though the vehicle was safely removed, a portion of the flyover was damaged. The incident threw light on the need to strengthen and widen the flyover to accommodate the current day traffic.
The Special Projects Wing of the State Highways Department which is constructing an elevated corridor on nearby Avinashi Road, had proposed to take up the widening work after obtaining NOC from the NH wing. However, the NH wing turned rejected the proposal. Sources said the NH wing had prepared a DPR at a cost Rs 20 crore to widen and strengthen the flyover as well as the approach road.
Speaking to TNIE, G Manuneethi, Divisional Engineer of the State Highways Department (Road Safety) in Coimbatore Division said, “The former collector had instructed the Special Projects wing to start widening the ramp where vehicles proceed towards the Railway Junction from the Brooke Bond Road after getting a NOC from the NH wing. The NH wing on the other hand has said they’ve planned to widen the whole flyover after receiving the nod & funds from the union government. Currently, we plan to widen the Brooke Bond Road ramp for a length of 25 metres and a width of 5 metres. Once widened, the 75-metre-long ramp will get an additional lane, thereby reducing traffic congestion to a great extent. However, the order is yet to be passed by the state government.”