The state highways department is slowly inching towards widening the Coimbatore-Pollachi Road. They have identified the contractors for different parts of the project.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have raised concerns with the district collectorate about "the many trees that are likely to get cut due to the project".
The Coimbatore-Pollachi Road, which sees annual traffic of 17,000 vehicles, is a cursed stretch due to the several fatal accidents which occur on a weekly basis due to the narrow road.
There have been at least three protests by residents, commuters, truckers and even farmers.
If all goes well, within the next six months around 6.3km of the 40km stretch will become a four-lane highway. Another 1.8km of the road will be widened to around 7 to 10m.
The tendering process has been completed and a contractor for the Rs16crore project has been identified, said a state highways department official. The 6.3km includes a 3km stretch between Aachipatti and CTC Medu and a 3.3 km stretch between Eachanari and Sundarapuram.
The distance between Eachanari and Sundarapuram, which is close to 6km, will see a portion of the stretch becoming a four lane, another 1.8km long stretch being widened to around 7m to 10 m depending on the space available, while 500m remains untouched.
"In the 500km stretch, the right of way is already 10m wide but does not have space available for widening," said a senior official attached to the highways department.
These two stretches were sanctioned along with a 3km stretch between Kolumam Junction and the electric crematorium in Udumalpet. This two-lane stretch is also being converted into a four-lane stretch. "Work on this stretch began three months back. We have removed encroachments and constructed a culvert on the stretch. Work to shift the electricity pole is going on now," said the official.
The remaining 24km stretch between Aachipatti and Eachanari is also likely to be completed within the next two years, say sources in the department. A sum of Rs500crore for the project was allotted by the state government.
"We issued the tender for the same on February 23 and even got people interested submitting their quotations. The tender and quotations are being studied now," said another official attached to the highways department.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have raised concerns with the district collectorate about "the many trees that are likely to get cut due to the project".
The Coimbatore-Pollachi Road, which sees annual traffic of 17,000 vehicles, is a cursed stretch due to the several fatal accidents which occur on a weekly basis due to the narrow road.
There have been at least three protests by residents, commuters, truckers and even farmers.
If all goes well, within the next six months around 6.3km of the 40km stretch will become a four-lane highway. Another 1.8km of the road will be widened to around 7 to 10m.
The tendering process has been completed and a contractor for the Rs16crore project has been identified, said a state highways department official. The 6.3km includes a 3km stretch between Aachipatti and CTC Medu and a 3.3 km stretch between Eachanari and Sundarapuram.
The distance between Eachanari and Sundarapuram, which is close to 6km, will see a portion of the stretch becoming a four lane, another 1.8km long stretch being widened to around 7m to 10 m depending on the space available, while 500m remains untouched.
"In the 500km stretch, the right of way is already 10m wide but does not have space available for widening," said a senior official attached to the highways department.
These two stretches were sanctioned along with a 3km stretch between Kolumam Junction and the electric crematorium in Udumalpet. This two-lane stretch is also being converted into a four-lane stretch. "Work on this stretch began three months back. We have removed encroachments and constructed a culvert on the stretch. Work to shift the electricity pole is going on now," said the official.
The remaining 24km stretch between Aachipatti and Eachanari is also likely to be completed within the next two years, say sources in the department. A sum of Rs500crore for the project was allotted by the state government.
"We issued the tender for the same on February 23 and even got people interested submitting their quotations. The tender and quotations are being studied now," said another official attached to the highways department.