Latest news with #NationalHighwayswing
The Hindu
3 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Minister inaugurates ₹26-crore bridge at Navalpur in Ranipet
A ₹26.65 crore Road Over Bridge (ROB), which was built across the rail line at Navalpur in Ranipet town, was opened on Saturday, bringing relief to hundreds of motorists. Officials of National Highways wing of State Highways, who carried out the work along with Southern Railway, said that the entire work was completed in June this year. However, the new bridge was kept closed for official inauguration by the Centre as the project was entirely funded by the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. To end the ordeal of motorists of taking a detour to reach the town, the residents demanded its opening as early as possible for public use. 'The new bridge will end a detour of at least 5-6 kms to reach Ranipet town from surrounding villages to reach hospitals and government offices. Ambulances can reach the needy on time, using the new facility,' said R. Parvathi, a resident. Minister for Textiles and Handlooms, R. Gandhi, who is also Ranipet MLA, inaugurated the bridge by taking a stroll on the new facility along with residents, social activists, elected representatives and officials of State Highways. Originally given its nod in 2019, the bridge is jointly done by the Southern Railway and State Highways. The two-lane bridge is 921 metres long and 12 metres wide with at least 50 LED street lights on the bridge and its service lanes. Tiled footpaths with steel hand railings also provided. Staircases from the bridge to reach the railway station at Navalpur are available. Highways officials said that the railway track portion of the work including concrete decks and pillars were done by the railways to ensure train services on the route are not affected. Ramp of the bridge and approach roads were built by State Highways. Adequate land to lay service lanes have also been acquired. Restrictions during the pandemic (COVID-19) was a major reason for delay in completion of the bridge work. Residents said that most schools, colleges, bus stands, government offices and banks are located on one side of the rail line whereas residential colonies were located on opposite sides of the track. Prior to the opening of the new bridge, motorists travel to Chennai - Bengaluru Highway (NH 48) to reach Ranipet town due to bridge work. With the opening of the bridge, residents seek resumption of all buses including long distance ones to use the new bridge to reach Ranipet town.
New Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Widening of Sathyamangalam Road in Coimbatore to start soon
COIMBATORE: After years of planning and delays, the much-anticipated widening of the Sathyamangalam Road in Coimbatore is finally set to take off in the coming weeks. In the first phase, the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department will widen a four-kilometre stretch from Kappi Kadai bus stop to Kurumbapalayam on Sathy Road at an estimated cost of Rs 40 crore. Speaking to TNIE, a senior highway department official said that the contract for the work has already been awarded, and a work order will be issued to the contractor shortly. "The construction work is expected to commence within a month," he said. The larger plan involves widening the entire 96-km-long Sathy Road, from Kurumbapalayam to Kakanallah on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border. Initially spearheaded by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the project was later handed over to the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department's Coimbatore division in 2022. In May 2023, the Union Government sanctionedRs 639.18 cr for acquiring approximately 650 acres necessary for the expansion. However, the land acquisition (LA) process hit a roadblock due to administrative delays, particularly the absence of a special team led by a dedicated District Revenue Officer (DRO) for the project work. The acquisition work picked up momentum with the formation of the team around six months ago. Despite the progress, the project has drawn strong opposition from farmers and industrialists, particularly in the Annur region. The release of the land acquisition notification on February 26, 2025, triggered widespread anxiety among property owners, who fear the loss of fertile agricultural land, residential plots, and commercial establishments. Environmental activists and local stakeholders have called for alternative solutions, including widening the existing NH 948 or constructing bypass roads through less populated areas. They have also demanded greater transparency from NH officials on compensation packages, environmental assessments, and rehabilitation plans. While these concerns remain unresolved, the highway department has chosen to begin work on the Kappi Kadai-Kurumbapalayam stretch, where no land acquisition is required.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Centre's nod sought for Singanallur flyover in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: After years of delays and design revisions, the long-pending flyover project at Singanallur junction on Tiruchy Road in Coimbatore is finally inching forward. The National Highways wing of the State Highways Department has submitted a revised estimate of Rs 180 crore to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, seeking approval and funding to kickstart construction. The Singanallur junction, a notorious traffic bottleneck, was one of three critical intersections in the city identified as 'black spots' due to frequent snarls and accidents. Along with Saravanampatti and Saibaba Colony, it was shortlisted for flyover construction to decongest key arterial roads and streamline vehicle movement in the rapidly growing city. The initial proposal, approved back in 2022, pegged the project cost at Rs 110.8 cr. However, it ran into repeated hurdles — first due to overlapping plans with the proposed Metro Rail project and later because of a lack of bidders. The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) had recommended shelving the flyover works at all three locations, citing that the alignments clashed with routes planned for the upcoming metro. The suggestion triggered public backlash, with residents and activists demanding that road infrastructure projects not be sacrificed for plans still on paper. In response to public pressure, the state government decided to retain the flyover projects at Singanallur and Saibaba Colony, as the first phase of the Metro is planned along the Sathyamangalam and Avinashi roads, not Tiruchy Road. Tenders were issued for both projects, but while the Saibaba Colony flyover gained traction, the Singanallur flyover failed to attract credible bidders.
New Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Motorists demand expedited construction of Coimbatore's Saibaba Colony flyover
COIMBATORE: With traffic snarls worsening on Mettupalayam Road, especially near Saibaba Colony junction, commuters are growing frustrated over the slow progress of the ongoing flyover construction. Many have urged the Highways Department to expedite the project to ease congestion on one of Coimbatore's busiest arterial roads. The flyover, being constructed by the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department, begins at Alagesan Road and ends near the MTP Road Bus Terminus at Eru Company. It is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 75 crore. Though work began on September 19 last year, the project has faced numerous roadblocks and only 35% of the construction has been completed so far. With the official deadline set for August 2026, commuters fear that delays could stretch this further. UGD pipelines and high tension electricity cables on the road have not been shifted yet by respective departments, thereby delaying progress, sources said. Motorists say traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, has made commuting daunting. "It is a nightmare to cross this stretch in peak hours," said R Chandhini, an office-goer. "What used to be a 10-minute drive now takes 40 minutes. We're not against development, but the pace of work is affecting many of us." S Thangavel, a retired government employee, shared a similar view. "The dust, diversions, and delays have made it difficult for senior citizens like me. Authorities should consider the impact of this project on people's lives and look to speed up construction." People pointed out that after going through hardship during construction of Kavundampalayam and GN Mills flyovers on Mettupalayam Road, they have been once again left to commute through congested sections due to Saibaba Colony flyover construction on the same stretch. Speaking to TNIE , a senior NH official refuted the slow progress of the project and said works are expected to be completed before the deadline. "Once the project began, we quickly constructed the piers and works are progressing in full swing. As a result, around 20 out of 23 pillars have been constructed. The remaining three will also be installed, once UGD pipelines are shifted. We have completed around 35-40% of work now and plan to finish the project by the end of this year, although the deadline is next year," the official added.
