Tamil Nadu government: Bridges sanctioned for Madurai, Ramnad, Tiruvannamalai

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has accorded administrative sanction to build three flyovers each in Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Tiruvannamalai at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore to ease the local traffic congestion.The State Highways Department recently passed a government order granting Rs 51 crore to build a flyover at the Pandi Muneeswarar Koil junction on the Madurai ring road, one of the black spots in the temple city.

The 27.2-km ring road starting at Uthangudi on the Madurai-Melur road connects NH 45B (Tiruchy-Madurai-Aruppukottai-Thoothukudi) with Madurai-Kanniyakumari NH 7 at Kappalur.As the traffic on the ring road was, of late, getting denser, the Tamil Nadu Road  Infrastructure Development Corporation (TNRIDC) has already begun works to widen the road into four lanes.

Tiruchy-Madurai-Thoothukudi NH 45B lacks a safe crossing at the Madurai ring road, as a result of which intersections of ring road and Madurai-Sivaganga road near the Pandi Koil junction witness frequent fatal accidents.

Particularly, during festivals and weekends, mofussil and SETC buses take a de-tour via Madurai-Melur road to enter into NH 45B, skipping the Madurai ring road due to traffic blocks.“The 800-metre two-lane flyover would pass through the Sivaganga road junction on the Madurai ring road. This will facilitate a free flow of vehicles in both directions towards Aruppukottai and Othakadai. Vehicles entering into Madurai city from Sivaganga will also get relieved from traffic block at the Pandi Koil junction,” said a senior official of the State Highways Department.

In addition to this, the state government had sanctioned Rs 23.39 crore to build a bridge at Ramanathapuram-Keelakkarai road at the railway level-crossing between the Ramanathapuram and Uchupuli railway stations. The Ramanathapuram-Keelakarai road forms a part of NH-49 for a length of 383.65 metres. The road connects Thondi, Keelakarai and Valinokkam ports. Frequent closure of railway gates puts the locals to ordeal as it disrupts their day-to-day activities. Besides, the lack of bridge causes constant disruption to the Santhakoodu festival at Ervadi and Uthirakosamangai festivals in the town.

Similarly, to decongest Tiruvannamalai town, the State Highways Department has sanctioned Rs 38.74 crore to build a two-lane road over bridge at the Puducherry-Krishnagiri road.“We have begun paper works for tender process. Soon, bids will be invited to construct the bridges,” added the highways official.