TIRUPPUR: The widening of the Udumalaipet-Chinnar hill pass, a key road to Munnar in Kerala, is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Even as tribals and social activists have been continuously demanding its expansion, the State Highways Department plans to send a proposal in this regard only after April 2027.
P Natraj, president of BJP's tribal wing in Udumalaipet South, who has been working towards the widening of the road for long, said, "The road from Udumalaipet to Munnar, via Chinnar and Maraiyur, plays an important role in traffic movement between the two states. It is a major gateway to many tourist destinations including Chinnar, Kandalur, Maraiyur and Thoovanam Falls. Vehicular traffic is heavy on this road, and it passes through the Anamalai Tiger Reserve."
"Chinnar, which is on the border of Tamil Nadu, is located 28 km from Udumalaipet. This road has a single lane to Chinnar from the 9/6 checkpost of the forest department. Many tribals also use this road. Despite the increase in vehicular traffic, including tourist vehicles, this road has not been expanded. However, the Kerala government has expanded the road from Maraiyur to Chinnar. This road should be widened to two lanes before major accidents occur. I have constantly been fighting for this," he added.
G Joseph, a social activist, said, "This hill pass is a single lane, and two vehicles cannot go at the same time. Currently, traffic has increased a lot and it is necessary to widen the road as soon as possible. But due to wildlife crossings here, underpasses must be constructed to prevent any harm to the animals."
A senior official from the State Highways Department said, "The road is two-lane for the first 15 km. After that, it is a single-lane that is only 3.75 metres wide. A stretch from the 15 km mark to 16 km mark is under the maintenance of a private contractor. Their contract expires on April 8, 2026. We can send the proposal a year after the contract’s expiry, and we have already planned for this.”
"The stretch from the 16 km mark to the 28 km mark is under the forest department's jurisdiction. Therefore, we need to get the appropriate NOC from them. The forest department has already refused permission to take soil from the roadside and fill in the low-lying areas of that road. We are currently considering alternative measures to fill soil in low-lying areas and pits on the road," the official added.