As part of widening Madurai-Kollam highway into a four-lane facility, work on Tirumangalam-Rajapalayam stretch will begin soon.
Presenting Union Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Monday, announced allocation of ₹1.03 lakh crore for upgradation of 3,500 km of highways in Tamil Nadu, including the Madurai-Kollam highway. Land acquisition for the work on the 72-km stretch of Tirumangalam-Rajapalayam section is in an advanced stage. “Tender process will be finalised soon for the work to be taken up at a cost of ₹1,600 crore,” an official from National Highways Authority of India said.
The work will be split into two packages: Tirumangalam-Vadugapatti and Vadugapatti-Rajapalayam – of 36 km each. The two stretches will have flyovers, bridges and bypass roads. Bypass roads have been planned for Pudupatti, T. Kunnathur, T. Kallupatti and a greenfield road of 28 km between Krishnankoil and Rajapalayam. The work that is likely to begin in April is scheduled to be completed in 24 months.
When the work is completed, all the major highways connecting Madurai with various destinations, except for Theni highway, will have four-lane roads. Already, Madurai-Kanniyakumari, Madurai-Thoothukudi, Madurai-Ramanathapuram, Madurai –Tiruchi stretches have four-lane roads.
The Rajapalayam Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the widening of the Madurai-Kollam highway. “This is a major corridor for freight movement between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A wide road is much-needed on this busy but narrow stretch,” said its secretary R. Narayanaswami.
The widened road would bring spur development in the region which had potential to become a big industrial hub, he said.
