Lack of approval from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) poses a major roadblock to the Trichy Road revamp project. Though the city corporation engineers held several discussions with NHAI officials, the agency is still apprehensive of issuing the no-objection certificate.
The agency has raised problems such as right-of-way to vehicles, lack of awareness on non-motorised transport and need for pedestrian pathways. “Trichy Road is not very wide. If pedestrian pathways and bicycle tracks are laid along it, it will lead to further congestion,” an NHAI official told TOI. The number of people using bicycles is very small, he added.
But according to the city corporation and the private consultant, who held meetings with the agency, since the road is located in the city limits and has several hospitals, shops, restaurants and schools along it, it cannot be treated as a highway. “Inside the city limit, the designs should be pedestrian-friendly. There are norms laid out by the Union government that need to be followed,” said a corporation official.
Regarding the reduction of road width, the consultant confirmed that 8.75m of the road will be retained for commuters, which is the ideal width. The current width of the road is 25m and 30m at the junctions. Of this, 8.75m on both sides will be retained as right of way. Only 2.5m to 5m will be utilised to set up pedestrian pathways and bicycle tracks.
The project will make the road aesthetically pleasing and transport-wise functional, a corporation engineer said. “It will be more beneficial than harmful. We have no idea why they are so apprehensive about the project,” he told TOI.
Meanwhile, an NHAI official said that they have always granted permission for similar projects of the civic body. “We will take a call once we get the final proposal,” he said.
The smart city project consultant said that the design can accommodate further development on the road, such as the metro rail project.
