COIMBATORE: With thousands of devotees expected to visit the Maruthamalai Subramaniaswamy Temple for the annual Soorasamharam festival on November 15 and the ensuing Ayyappa pilgrimage season, the six-kilometre stretch of Maruthamalai Main Road continues to remain in a deplorable condition, raising serious concerns over road safety.
The damaged stretch, which was dug up by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board for underground drainage project works, has not been properly restored even months after completion of pipeline installation. The project was taken up by the TWAD Board on behalf of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC). The road has deteriorated further following recent rains, leaving motorists struggling to negotiate potholes, loose gravel and uneven surfaces.
The CCMC had temporarily filled the damaged portions with wet mix material after the highways department failed to take up restoration work. However, the temporary measure has proved ineffective, with the material getting displaced under the movement of heavy vehicles, leaving fresh potholes and loose stones scattered across the road. Dust kicked up by buses and lorries has also affected visibility for motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders.
Highlighting the safety concerns, Coimbatore Road Safety Committee member and Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K Kathirmathiyon has written to Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna seeking his immediate intervention to restore the road. In his letter dated November 12, he pointed out that several accidents, particularly involving two-wheelers, had already been reported along the stretch.
He said the delay was unacceptable as funds for the restoration work was reportedly transferred to the department as early as July 2026. While the department had indicated that it would take around five months to commence and another five months to complete the work, the continued delay was causing hardship to residents, daily commuters, students travelling to Bharathiar University and temple devotees, he added.
Kathirmathiyon urged the minister to direct the department to undertake restoration work on war footing, conduct an inquiry into the delay and fix responsibility on the officials concerned. He also sought temporary restrictions on vehicles commuting along particularly dangerous stretches until the road is made safe and suggested entrusting the work to another competent agency if necessary.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior official from the state highways department said, "The CCMC has to provide necessary funds to its executing agency, the TWAD Board, and the latter must deposit the same to the highways department for taking up the road restoration works. However, due to delays by the TWAD Board in releasing funds, as well as finishing the work on the stretch, the repair work was delayed."
"Funds have been sanctioned to take up the road restoration work for 4 km from Marudhamalai bus stand near the foothills to the Vadavalli bus stop. Both sides of the 7-metre-wide road have been dug and damaged completely, and so the surface needs to be strengthened for 1.5 metres before paving a new road. Since there is heavy traffic and the road is busy throughout the day, we are only working during nighttime. We're able to put wet mix only for 60 to 70 metres in a night. So far, 500 metres have been finished. Once it's over, we'll put a layer of BT for the entire stretch. We're planning to finish the works in 2 months," added the official.
District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar along with CCMC Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja and other officials inspected the stretch on Friday and instructed the officials to expedite the repair work.
Speaking to TNIE, Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja said, "We are accelerating the works. However for the upcoming festival, we are coordinating with the traffic police for some alternate route arrangements to ensure smooth flow of the traffic."
He also revealed that during the Marudhamalai Temple festival, vehicles will not be permitted from Vadavalli Roundabout to Kalveerampalayam Junction. Instead, traffic will be diverted via Thondamuthur–Bommanampalayam–Kalveerampalayam to reach Marudhamalai. One-way traffic will be permitted from Kalveerampalayam towards Vadavalli Roundabout to facilitate the speedy completion of the road works. These arrangements are being made to ensure public safety, minimise traffic congestion, and provide smooth movement for pilgrims during the festival.
