TIRUPPUR: The State Highways Department plans to complete the underpass construction work at Valarmathi Junction in Tiruppur before Pongal to solve traffic congestion on Kumaran Road.
Officials also said that 70% of the work of the subway which began in 2009 has now been completed.
On Monday evening, State Highways Department Superintendent Engineer AS Viswanathan and Divisional Engineer E Rathinasamy and other officials inspected the construction work.
The 300-meter-long subway connects Park Road and Valam Bridge roads.
Vehicles travelling from the northern part of Tiruppur to the south pass through Kumaran Road. Traffic congestion, which is a persistent issue on the road due to a traffic signal at Valarmathi Junction, worsens during festivals and auspicious days.
To solve the congestion, the State Highways Department is undertaking the construction of a subway adjacent to the Noyyal River at Valarmathi Junction at an estimated cost of Rs 22 crore.
A senior official from the State Highways Department of Tiruppur said, "Once these works are completed, vehicles coming from Valam bridge road towards Park road will pass through the subway without any hindrance. Similarly, the vehicles from Kumaran Road towards Valarmathi Junction can also go without a signal. This will solve traffic congestion on Kumaran Road."
The official said "the only pending task is the construction of a concrete box at the intersection of the four roads. We have now expedited the work and plan to complete it by the end of December or before Pongal."
The box is 40 m long, 8 m wide, and 5.5 m high.
"The official process for the subway began in 2009 but was delayed due to court cases. This also caused delays in land acquisition."
TN Minister MP Saminathan, who recently inspected the subway work, said that the AIADMK did not show interest in completing the work. "This is the reason why the cost of this project, which was initially planned at Rs 5 crore, has now ballooned to Rs 22 crore," he added.
The city police have made various traffic changes in various areas, including Kumaran Road, for the subway work.