NHAI to expand capacity of 8 highways in Tamil Nadu to ease traffic woes

CHENNAI: To ease congestion on several national highway (NH) stretches, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has planned to augment the capacity of at least eight highways -- in Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Nilgiris and Cuddalore -- by constructing bypasses, grade separators and four-laning.

The NHAI has invited tenders to appoint consultants to prepare detailed project reports for the capacity augmentation of problematic stretches, such as those on NH-181, NH-81, NH-532, NH-85 and NH-136.

As per the proposal, NH-181 from Coimbatore to Gundlupet in Karnataka via Karamadai, Mettupalayam, Ooty and Gudalur will see the construction of four bypasses and a road over bridge. A 12-km combined bypass will be built around Karamadai and Mettupalayam town in Coimbatore. Bypass roads will be constructed in Coonoor (5 km), Ooty (27 km) and Gudalur (8 km) in the Nilgiris on NH-181. A road over bridge is proposed near Burliar to replace the railway level crossing no 8.

The NHAI plans to construct bypasses to Palladam (14 km) in Coimbatore, Vellakovil (9 km) and Kangayam (13 km) on NH-81 connecting Coimbatore and Chidambaram, while a 16-km bypass to Tiruppur will be constructed on NH-381.

A detailed project report will be prepared for the four-laning of a 65-km stretch in Thanjavur and Salem on the Thajavur-Perambalur-Attur Road NH-136 and also the construction of two ROBs to replace level crossings - LC-300A and LC-131.

The NHAI also proposes to construct additional two-lane flyovers at Kurinjipadi, Virudhachalam and Vadalur towns on NH-532, which connects Chinnasalem and Cuddalore.

Sources in the NHAI said the works on the proposed national highway stretches will be taken up by the NH wing of the State Highway Department after the completion of the DPR and the sanction of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.