Latest news with #StateHighwaysDepartment
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Climate
- The Hindu
State Highways to construct new bridge across Then Pennar river in Tiruvannamalai
The State Highways Department is planning to construct a new high-level bridge across the Then Pennar river between Agarampallipattu and Thondamanur village near Thandrampattu town in Tiruvannamalai as a replacement to the collapsed bridge there, as residents have been pressing for their demand of easy connectivity to reach nearby towns. The proposal of the Highways Department comes after the newly-opened ₹15.9-crore bridge across the river collapsed when excess rainwater of over two lakh cusecs was released from Sathanur dam, located 24 km from the village upstream, following heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Fengal in December. 'Ever since the bridge collapsed, we had had to trek at least 20 km to reach nearby towns like Thandrampattu and from then, it has been a long-standing demand of the residents of at least 8-10 villages,' D. Pulivendan, president, Thondamanur village panchayat, said. The bridge that collapsed was inaugurated by Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports E.V. Velu, on September 2, 2024. 'Technical design and estimated cost for the proposed bridge across the river is ready. Work on the new bridge will commence in the coming months,' a State Highways official told The Hindu. According to Highways officials, the project to construct the proposed bridge would be executed by the Construction and Maintenance wing of the Department, led by P. Gnanavel, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Tiruvannamalai), with funds sanctioned under the NABARD scheme. As per plan, the proposed high-level bridge will be 250 metre long and 12 metre wide. The height of the new bridge will be at least 12 metres — five metres higher than the collapsed bridge. Officials said that an increase in height, especially the decks of the bridge, would help the structure to withstand huge influx of excess rainwater released in the river during heavy rainfall. The rise in height of the new structure was decided based on a study of massive floods that happened over the past 100 years, officials said. Another key change is that the proposed bridge would be built away from the collapsed structure. Highways officials attribute change of river course to be the reason for moving away from the earlier location of the bridge. 'The new plan is to build the bridge at least 200 metre away from the collapsed bridge as the river course is much more straight now. The study found that the curved portion of the river could have been the reason for the structural instability of the earlier bridge that collapsed,' said an official. Highway officials said that the proposal for the new bridge has been sent to the State government for financial clearance as technical study for the project has been completed. The project will be announced by the State government in the coming weeks before tenders were floated for the new bridge.
NDTV
29-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
MK Stalin To Inaugurate Permanent Housing For Displaced Irular Families
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will virtually inaugurate newly-built houses for 41 displaced Irular families at Melpakkam village near Arakkonam in Ranipet district on Thursday. The initiative provides permanent rehabilitation to the tribal families who lost their land to a road widening project. In 2023, the State Highways Department acquired patta lands earlier allotted to these families by the district administration for expanding the Kancheepuram-Arakkonam-Tiruttani Road (SH-58). As compensation, the department committed to providing new land and constructing houses at a total cost of Rs 6.32 crore. Each house, built at a cost of Rs 10.70 lakh, spans 355 square feet and includes a living room, bedroom, kitchen and attached toilet. The new residential enclave also features a community hall with a capacity of 100 people, an Anganwadi centre, a small temple, and a protective compound wall. To ensure essential amenities, a 30,000-litre overhead tank has been installed for drinking water supply. Internal roads have been paved with bitumen to facilitate smooth vehicular movement, especially during medical emergencies. Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi, who inspected the site along with District Collector J.U. Chandrakala, interacted with the families and urged them to prioritise education by enrolling their children in nearby schools. He also instructed officials to plant fruit-bearing saplings across the housing area to provide shade and supplementary income in the future. The relocation and housing effort is closely linked to a major infrastructure project - the widening of SH-58 - as part of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor, under the Centre's East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC). The ECEC aims to connect key coastal cities including Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Kanyakumari to promote industrial growth. Funded by the Asian Development Bank, the highway upgrade covers a 41.77 km stretch between Kancheepuram and Tiruttani. The road has been expanded into a 10-metre-wide two-lane corridor with stormwater drains, footpaths, 18 small bridges, and 124 culverts. The project cost is estimated at Rs 359.06 crore and has been under development since mid-2021. The initiative represents a balanced approach to infrastructure development and social responsibility, ensuring affected communities are not left behind in the path of progress.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stalin to inaugurate free houses for Irular families near Arakkonam today
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will virtually inaugurate free new houses for 41 displaced Irular families at Melpakkam village near Arakkonam in Ranipet on May 29 (Thursday), providing a permanent settlement for the tribal community. This comes after the State Highways Department acquired patta land, which were provided to the affected Irular families by the district administration, for the widening of Kancheepuram - Arakkonam - Tiruttani Road (SH 58) in 2023. As part of a compensation, the State Highways decided to provide land and build new houses for beneficiaries at a cost of ₹6.32 crore. 'It's a dream come true for us because, as a community, we have lived in roadside make-shift tents for generations. We are happy that our children will now have a safe place to stay,' said V. Mayan, an Irular. Accompanied by Collector J.U. Chandrakala, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi inspected the new houses and interacted with the beneficiaries. He urged Irular families to enroll their wards in schools. The Minister also directed officials to plant more fruit bearing saplings in the housing quarters to provide shade and as a supplementary income for the Irulars. 'Considering the displaced are poor tribals, the State Highways decided to build new houses for them for the first time. The new dwelling has all basic facilities like power supply, water connection, washroom and lights,' K. Mukundan, Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE), State Highways (Arakkonam division), told The Hindu. Facilities provided Each house, built at a cost of ₹10.70 lakh, measures 355 with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and attached toilets. A community hall with a seating capacity of at least 100 persons and an anganwadi centre are also being built. It also has a temple and a protective wall. To ensure safe drinking water to the families, an overhead tank (OHT) with a capacity of 30,000 litres also forms part of the basic amenities. The pathways in the village are also being re-laid with bitumen for easy access by ambulances during emergencies. Highways officials said that widening of the stretch is part of the Chennai - Kanyakumari Industries Corridor project by the Centre under the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) that aims to connect key coastal cities like Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Kanyakumari. Funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the stretch has been widened for a distance of 41.77 km between Kancheepuram and Tirutani at a cost of ₹359.06 crore since mid-2021. The existing lane has been converted into a 10 m wide two-lane stretch with storm water drains, footpath, 18 small bridges and 124 culverts.
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Flyover construction: Demolition of old bridge near Kuniyamuthur starts
COIMBATORE: In a significant step toward decongesting traffic along the bustling Palakkad Main Road, the Special Projects wing of the State Highways Department has commenced the demolition of the old bridge near Kuniyamuthur. The move marks the beginning of a major infrastructure upgrade — a new four-lane flyover aimed at ensuring smooth vehicular movement and improving connectivity to the Western Ring Road. The flyover, which will stretch for 800 metres, is designed to ease traffic bottlenecks at the busy intersection of the Palakkad Main Road and the Western Bypass (Western Ring Road). According to officials, the structure will include service roads on both sides and a subway beneath the bridge, catering to both heavy traffic and local commuting needs. Speaking to TNIE, a senior official from the State Highways Department said, "We have begun the demolition of the old bridge and will soon start the pier works for the new flyover. Temporary service roads have already been laid on either side to ensure there's minimal disruption to ongoing traffic." The flyover forms a crucial part of the ambitious Western Ring Road project, which spans 32.43 km and aims to decongest the urban road network in Coimbatore by offering a seamless bypass. The road, which begins at Mykal on the Salem-Cochin Road (SHU 52) and ends at Narasimhanaickenpalayam on the Nagapattinam-Gudalur-Mysore Road (NH 67), passes through 15 revenue villages in the district and is being developed as a four-lane corridor. The project is being implemented in three phases. Phase 1, covering 11.80 km from Madukkarai to Madampatti, was launched in August 2023 at a cost of Rs 250 crore and is currently nearing completion. The government has sanctioned Rs 320 crore for land acquisition across all three phases. As Phase 1 work nears its final stages, officials are gearing up to initiate Phase 2, which will extend from Madampatti to Somayampalayam near Vadavalli. Estimated to cost `348 crore, Phase 2 will cover 12.10 km and pass through Perur, West Chithirai Chavadi, Kallikanaicken Palayam, and Vadavalli. Phase 3, the final stretch, will span 8.09 km and pass through Pannimadai, Nanjundapuram, Kurudampalayam, and Narasimhanaickenpalayam. With the new flyover expected to be completed in the coming months, commuters and residents can look forward to a significant reduction in traffic congestion and a smoother driving experience on one of Coimbatore's busiest corridors.
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Public hearing on Sathyamangalam bypass postponed
COIMBATORE: A public hearing on the Sathyamangalam greenfield bypass project (NH 948), which was scheduled for Friday (May 16), has been postponed to May 26 due to 'unavoidable reasons,' according to revenue officials. The hearing was for residents of four revenue villages - Kondaiampalayam, Kuppepalayam, Kattampatti, and Kariyampalayam - who have raised objections to land acquisition. Despite postponement, other public hearings related to the project will continue as planned on May 19 and 23. The postponement comes amid mounting opposition to the proposed 92-km four-lane bypass. Farmers and residents from nearly 15 villages in the vicinity of Annur, have launched a postcard campaign to voice their protest. Around 2,000 postcards addressed to Chief Minister MK Stalin are being sent, appealing for the project to be dropped and for the existing Coimbatore-Sathyamangalam road to be widened instead. So far, around 100 postcards have already reached the CM. The State Highways Department (NH wing), which took over the project from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has issued a 3A notification to acquire nearly 800 acres across Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 630 crore. In total, 409 individuals from 14 revenue villages in Coimbatore and two in Tiruppur have submitted objections to the District Land Acquisition Office. The federation has also sought police permission to meet the Chief Minister in person when he travels from the Nilgiris to Coimbatore on Friday, in an attempt to submit their petition directly.
