COIMBATORE: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has floated a tender for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the 27-km Neelambur Bypass Road, which connects Madukkarai to Neelambur. The stretch, a vital part of the Salem-Cochin National Highway, was recently handed over to NHAI by L&T ahead of schedule, following talks facilitated by the Union government. Sources said NHAI already has a DPR in the works for the widening project and will complete it in the coming months.
The road, originally constructed by L&T, was intended to decongest city roads. However, over time, the expansion of Coimbatore city and increased industrial activity have led to a surge in traffic along the route. The maintenance contract, valued at Rs 5.57 crore, covers a one-year period and includes routine upkeep of the road which sees heavy passenger and freight traffic.
While the move was welcomed by commuters and industrial stakeholders, there is growing demand for long-term upgrades to the bypass.
“This bypass is an arterial stretch for traffic headed towards Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu. The current width is not congruent with volume. Accidents have become a daily affair and the stretch is notorious for bottlenecks. Widening the road is the need of the hour,” said S Rajasekar, a commuter from Madukkarai.
J Sathish Kumar, director of Kongu Global Forum, told TNIE, “We appreciate the maintenance initiative, but what is really needed is a long-term solution. A six-lane bypass along with two service lanes and flyovers would improve the stretch, similar to the road in Kochi. There is ample space for widening the existing two-lane road along with service lanes, centre medians and stormwater drains.”
Locals have also pointed out a lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, inadequate lighting, and poor signage along the stretch, all contributing to the road being accident-prone. It should be noted that earlier, the NH wing of State Highways Department had requested NHAI to hand over the stretch for O&M as well as widening, but no call was made regarding this proposition.