COIMBATORE: Motorists and residents have urged the State Highways Department to expedite the four-laning of the Siruvani Main Road, citing prolonged delays and difficult travel conditions along the busy stretch on the outskirts of Coimbatore.
The 5.2-kilometre arterial road, which connects Kalampalayam to Madampatti, links Coimbatore city with the Siruvani Dam in Kerala. It also serves as a gateway to several prominent religious, educational and tourist destinations, including the historic Perur Patteeshwarar Temple, Poondi Velliangiri Andavar Temple, Aavin Dairy Farm, Karunya University and the Isha Yoga Centre. With rivers, streams, check dams, resorts, wedding halls, theme parks and educational institutions dotting the corridor, the road witnesses heavy traffic throughout the year.
Thousands of commuters, including students, tourists, pilgrims and Sabarimala devotees, rely on Siruvani Main Road every day. Over the years, a sharp rise in vehicular movement has led to frequent accidents, prompting the State Highways Department to take up the widening of the road into a four-lane carriageway with a central median.
A Detailed Project Report was prepared by the State Highways officials in the Coimbatore Division and submitted to the Tamil Nadu government. Following approval, the government sanctioned Rs 33.8 crore for the project, and works commenced a few months ago.
However, motorists say progress has been painfully slow. Large portions of the road remain dusty due to ongoing works, turning the stretch into what commuters describe as a "dust bowl". In several areas, the widened surface has been laid with wet mix, but the final asphalt layer is yet to be paved, causing inconvenience and safety concerns for daily users.
With the inauguration of Phase I of the Western Ring Road scheduled for next month, a development expected to further increase traffic on Siruvani Main Road, commuters have renewed their demand for faster completion of the project.
Responding to the concerns, a senior official from the State Highways Department told 'The New Indian Express' that nearly 70% of the work has already been completed. "Most portions of the stretch have been widened and filled with wet mix. A fresh layer of tar will be laid soon," the official said.
The delay, the official explained, was unavoidable due to the removal of several decades-old trees and the presence of the Siruvani Main underground water supply pipeline, which posed significant engineering challenges. "We are planning to complete all the remaining works within about a month," the official added.