Coimbatore bypass

The Coimbatore Bypass refers to a series of bypasses connecting the various National Highways and State Highways passing through and originating in the South Indian city of Coimbatore.

Coimbatore Bypass
L&T Bypass
L&T Bypass connecting NH 544 near Madukkarai.
Route information
Maintained by National Highways Authority of India, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, Highways and Minor Ports Department
Length28 km (17 mi)
Existed2000[1]–present
Major junctions
FromNeelambur, Coimbatore district
ToMadukkarai, Coimbatore district
Location
Major citiesEachanari,Ondipudur,Vellalore,Chettipalayam,Irugur
Highway system
  • Expressways
  • National
  • State

The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation is undertaking the construction of six rail-over-bridges in the city.[2]

In 2008, the State Highways Department came up with a proposal to create a Ring Road passing through Peelamedu Road, Kalapatti Road, Saravanampatty Road and Kurumbapalayam Road to help decongest Avanashi Road, Mettupalayam Road and Sathyamangalam Road. The 12 km road would extend from the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) Junction in Peelamedu, going through Kalapatti Road and connect Sathyamangalam Road at Saravanampatty and then it would connect Mettuppalayam Road at Kurumbapalayam.[3]

Neelambur–Madukkarai
Neelambur Toll Plaza

The first section of the bypass was a 28-kilometre (17 mi) two-laned road with paved shoulders built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) from Neelambur to Madukkarai on National Highway 544 (formerly National Highway 47) which intersects Trichy Road at Chintamani Pudur near Irugur and Eachanari on Pollachi Road. Land acquisition began as early as 1974, but the project was delayed. Construction began in 1998, and was completed in twenty-two months.[4] It was made operational in 2000,[1] after many delays which almost forced L&T to pull out.[5] It was the first road privatisation project to be implemented on a build-operate-transfer model in South India.[4][6][7] In 2010, the National Highways Authority of India gave Iragavarapu Venkata Reddy Construction Limited (IVRCL) the tender to widen and toll the road as part of a larger toll road project from Chengapalli to Walayar.[8] The issue was taken to court and the Delhi High Court restrained the road transport ministry from withdrawing the project awarded to Larsen & Toubro.[9][10] In late January 2012, it was reported that IVRCL planned to sell the project, valued at an estimated ₹ 10 billion, and Reliance Infrastructure was said to be a "likely frontrunner" to acquire it.[11] In 2011, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanded that the road be widened to four lanes.[12]

The road is subject to frequent traffic delays, and most of these are caused by the road's six toll plazas; these are primarily attributed to the fact that there are only four toll collection lanes on each toll plaza, two in each direction, and much of the time only one is open in each direction.[13] The road is also subject to fatal accidents.[14][15]

Aathupalam Bridge
Aathupalam Bridge over the Noyyal

The first section also included the construction of a new 32.2m bridge over the Noyyal,[4][16] at Aathupalam, with a toll period of 21 years,[1] till 2018.[17] The toll booth was India's earliest to use International Road Dynamics iToll tolling system.[18] In 2000, L&T asked the Government for permission to regulate users of the bridge,[19] and agreed to the subsidised toll rate of ₹ 50 per day per bus of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation irrespective of the number of trips made by the bus.[5] L&T subsequently stopped collection of toll from vehicles bearing Local Number plates.[20] The revenue from the Toll Booth goes partly to fund for a Railway Bridge and underpass at Chettipalaym.[4]

Sathyamangalam–Pollachi

The National Highways Authority of India has also invited feasibility studies to upgrade National Highways 948 and 83 (formerly National Highway 209) connecting Pollachi and Bannari passing through the city.[21][22] In 2009, the National Highways Authority of India sanctioned funds for widening the existing highway passing through the city which included construction of a new Rail-over-bridge at Ganapathy. However, funds were withdrawn after the agency decided to execute future projects under a public–private partnership.[23]

Due to withdrawal of funds from the National Highways Authority of India, the Highways and Minor Ports Department of the State Government has taken up upgradation works on the two connecting roads. In 2010, during the World Classical Tamil Conference 2010, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi announced the construction of a three-tier flyover at Gandhipuram at a cost of ₹ 1.48 billion, to be completed over a period of two years. It would start from the Central Bus Station and end at the Corporation built Omni Bus Station on Sathyamangalam Road. The project also includes a four-lane underpass from the 100 Feet road junction to Nava India junction, four-lane up connecting the City Bus Station, State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) Bus Station, Central Bus Station and the proposed Bus Station on Sathyamangalam Road at a length of 1.2 km, the flyover will cover both the junctions.[24] The cost was later brought down to ₹ 1 billion, and the Flyover construction was to have started in January 2011.[25] The project met with many protests by the Hindu Munnani activists who protested the demolition of four temples along Sathyamanagalam Road and Dr. Nanjappa Road.[26] In 2012, the Member of Parliament representing Coimbatore, P. R. Natarajan, stated that the project was not practical and demanded changes in its design.[27]

In 2011, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced the construction of two new flyovers at Ukkadam and Athupalam to help decongest the Palakkad Road.[28]

Mettupalayam–Sulur

The National Highways Authority of India is conducting studies for a bypass along the Mettupalayam–Sulur National Highways 81 and 181 (formerly National Highway 67). The proposed length of this road is 53.95 kilometres (33.52 mi), and is expected to cost ₹ 6.01 billion to build.[29] The project was met with protests from farmers who claim that the project passes through fertile land and demanded re-alignment of the road. M R Sivasamy, the president of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangham, demanded that the proposed road to be rerouted to start from Neelambur, and run through Vellanaipatty, Kallipalayam, Kunnathur, Kattampatty, Kuppepalayam, Sikkarampalayam and Odanthurai to reach Mettupalayam.[30][31] The project has drawn ire from the public who are opposed to paying toll and feel that the wetlands in Sulur would be destroyed.[32] From Sulur, the width of the road is 10 metres, with one-metre hard way on either side, while 30-km of the road, covering important towns, is four-lane, and the remaining, two-lane till Karur.[33]

In 2013, the NHAI announced that it was withdrawing from the project due to lack of support from the state government.[34] In 2014, the NHAi handed over the section back to the State Government for maintenance and upkeep.[35] As per the update on Jan 31, 2015, NHAI had mentioned in their website (https://web.archive.org/web/20090804025214/http://www.nhai.org/implementation.asp, S.No-115) as this project is still under implementation in NHDP PhaseIIIA.[36] and the same has been removed as per the update on 31 July 2016

Western Bypass

In 2010, an announcement was made in the State Budget to build a Western Ring Road at a cost of ₹ 2.84 billion for 26 km. The proposed road would have been from Madukarai near ACC Cement industry, starting on Palakkad Road connecting Mettupalayam Road via Perur Road, Marudamalai Road(Bharatiyar University) and Thadagam Road(kanuvai).[37]

In 2011, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Highways and Minor Ports Department announced the construction of a 26-kilometre (16 mi) long Western Bypass from Kuniamuthur to Thudiyalur. The road would help connect people going from Madukarai, and Palakkad to Marudamalai, Thadagam, Thudiyalur and Anaikatti.[38] The proposed road would be 45 metres (148 ft) wide with paved shoulders on both sides and would cost ₹ 1.3 billion to build.[39] In May 2012, the Highways Department and Local Planning Authority announced that a freeze had been imposed to prevent new land approvals in the area as land acquisition for the road construction was to begin soon.[40] Residents of Thudiyalur opposed the road as it required demolition of their homes.[41] The following November, it was announced that the road would terminate at Narasimhanaickenpalayam instead of Thudiyalur to minimise acquisition of land.[42]

In 2012, the government finally decided to abandon the project in favour of an eastern road that connected Mettupalayam Road with Avinashi Road and the existing L&T bypass.[43]

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See also

References
  1. "Coimbatore Bypass Road". New Delhi: Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  2. Palaniappan, V. S. (8 January 2012). "Bridge works across six level crossings speed up". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. Palaniappan, V.S. (30 August 2008). "Ring road to decongest Coimbatore". Coimbatore: The Hindu. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  4. "Project Financing:A Case study on Coimbatore Bypass Road Project" (PDF). Larsen and Toubro. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  5. Venkataraman, Kavita; Raman, TMA (20 October 1999). "L&T may pull out of Coimbatore bypass project". Financial Express. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  6. "Coimbatore By-pass (Tamil Nadu)". L&T IDPL. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  7. "Coimbatore Bypass: First road Privatization Project" (PDF). L&T ECC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  8. "IVRCL bags Rs 1,125 cr road project". Business Standard. Chennai/ Hyderabad. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  9. Bhatnagar, Rakesh (23 January 2010). "Delhi High Court curbs ministry on Larsen & Toubro road deal". Daily News and Analysis. New Delhi. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  10. "Court stays revocation of highway project to L&T". New Delhi: Hindustan Times (Subscription Needed). 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  11. "IVRCL to put 2 road projects on block; stock gains". Moneycontrol.com. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  12. "Four-lane capacity for Coimbatore by-pass sought". Coimbatore. The Hindu. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  13. Preetha, M. Soundariya (10 July 2011). "Commuters want a smooth ride on Coimbatore Bypass Road". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  14. "One killed, two injured in accident". Coimbatore. Times of India. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  15. "3 killed in road accident". Coimbatore. Times of India. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  16. "Coimbatore Project". termpaperwarehouse.com. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  17. "Toll collection to resume at Athupalam". Coimbatore. The Hindu. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  18. "Coimbatore & Athupalam Bridge Toll System". Canada: International Road Dynamics. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  19. Venkatraman, Kavitha (24 July 2000). "L&T seeks power to regulate Athupalam bridge users". Financial Express. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  20. Sundaram, Nandhu (19 January 2012). "Athupalam toll plaza a nightmare for motorists". Times of India. New Delhi. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  21. "NHAI's DPR on widening NH 209 by Mar". Coimbatore: Asapp Media. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  22. Preetha, M. Soundariya (25 December 2011). "NHAI takes up study to widen Pollachi Road". The Hindu. Chennai. p. 1. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  23. Preetha, M. Soundariya (2 February 2012). "A bridge to nowhere". Coimbatore: The Hindu. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  24. Preetha, M. Soundariya (12 December 2010). "City to have three-tier flyover". Coimbatore: The Hindu. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  25. "Work on Gandhipuram flyover project to begin in January". Coimbatore: The Hindu. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  26. "Gandhipuram flyover: Protesting HM activists removed". Coimbatore: The Hindu. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  27. Subburaj, A (26 May 2012). "Modify over-bridge at Gandhipuram: Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  28. "Announcement on flyovers brings cheer to city". Coimbatore: The Hindu. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  29. "Coimbatore bypass road works to begin next year". The Hindu. Chennai. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  30. Subburaj, A. (26 November 2011). "Farmers wave down Mettupalayam Road bypass proposal". The Times of India. New Delhi. p. 1. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  31. "Farmers protest against new bypass road to Mettupalayam". The Times of India. New Delhi. 8 December 2011. p. 1. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  32. Preetha, M. Soundariya (22 May 2012). "NH 67 extension project draws public ire". Coimbatore: The Hindu. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  33. "Widening of Coimbatore-Karur highway begins". Tirupur: The Hindu. 30 October 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  34. Mariappan, Julie (28 August 2013). "NHAI cancels Rs 535cr project for 4-lane road in Coimbatore". Coimbatore. Times of India. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  35. M, Soundariya Preetha (5 January 2014). "Coimbatore section of NH 67 handed over to State Government". Coimbatore. The Hindu. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  36. url=http://www.nhai.org/implementation.asp Archived 4 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  37. "Long term benefits for Coimbatore". Coimbatore: The Hindu. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  38. "Accord sanction for Western Bypass, Ganapathy bridge". The Hindu. Chennai. 5 February 2011. p. 1. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  39. Preetha, M. Soundariya (29 January 2012). "A bypass road to reduce congestion". The Hindu. Chennai. p. 1. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  40. "Freeze on plan approval as land acquisition begins for Western Bypass". The Hindu. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  41. "Thudiyalur residents sit on fast to save their homes". Times of India. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  42. Preetha, Soundariya (27 October 2012). "Two major infrastructure proposals go back to drawing board". Coimbatore. The Hindu. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  43. "Govt revises bypass project to minimize displacement". Coimbatore: Times of India. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
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