Coimbatore: Ukkadam, which has been a driver's nightmare owing to the heavy traffic in the area, would soon become not only traffic free but also attractive, according to officials from the highways department and ‘Smart City’ project. The area, with its cramped shops and heavy vehicular traffic, would not only get decongested, but will also sport a serene look once the two projects are completed, officials said.
Officials of the highways department said their study showed that around 50% of the vehicular traffic on the highway was through traffic to and fro, while 40% of the traffic was from the Sungam bypass road and the rest was from Pruru bypass road. “So, in effect the flyover would eliminate half of the traffic,” said a highways official.
The 1.97km flyover would be a four-lane elevated highway for 1.48km and a wide two-lane elevated highway for 388m and a two-lane highway for 284m. “The road will be made a four-lane road with dedicated service lanes on either side, which would not only make it more convenient to travel, but also would enhance the look of the area,” the official added.
Shops from Naaz Theatre to the police station would be removed for the project. “Some shops on Nawab Hakim Road would be taken off. We would need space from 2m to 7m on the side near the toll plaza which would require us to taken off shops from there too,” said the official.
Officials said when complete, the area around the toll plaza, which now looks cramped, would get a changeover. “Now, as motorists approach the city from Palakkad Road, the first sight they would see is the congested shops around the toll plaza. After the flyover work is complete, the area would sport a new look,” said another official from the highways department.
While the lanes and service lanes would make travel through the area easy and its look spacious, beautification projects lined up as a part of Smart City plan would add to its look, said officials of the project. Mainly, the bunds of tanks in the region would be strengthened and maintained as cycling tracks, officials of the Smart City project said. “Greenery and landscape of the area would be enhanced, while water in the tank would be cleaned and maintained so that people could spend evenings there,” said an official. The area would also get recreation facilities for children and senior citizens, the official said.
In addition to this, last May, the city corporation had asked the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) to shift the Ukkadam bus stand and the bus depot nearby so that development work under Smart City project can be undertaken in Valangulam. “We have replied that we would shift if the local body gives us the required space and the necessary facilities,” said a TNSTC official.
Highways officials said while there were apprehensions among public that the flyover would end at Karumbukkadai, the flyover would in effect reach till Athupalam. “The private firm which handles the toll fare collection at Athupalam has got an extension from December 2018 to April 2019. After this period, we would take up the extension work as part of the phase-II,” said a highways official.