PWD to re-lay 6.5-km road leading to Butterfly Park

TIRUCHY: In a bid to improve road connectivity to the Butterfly Conservatory Park, the PWD is all set to float a tender at a cost of Rs 3 crore to re-lay the 6.5-km Panjakarai Road along the banks of the Kollidam.

Spreading over 35 hectares, the Butterfly Park, located between the Cauvery and the Kollidam, is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. Despite receiving good footfall, it has had issues when it comes to having proper roads. The PWD is expected to be floated within a month and work is likely to be completed within six months.

"To improve accessibility, we are proposing a road re-laying project at a cost of Rs 3 crore. All  potholes on the stretch will be filled. Two layers of wet mix will be laid before layering it with bituminous," a senior PWD official said.

For years, the road via Srirangam-Melur has remained the sole route for tourists and motorists. With the new road expected to shorten the distance between the city and the tourist destination via Yatra Nivas, people are hoping for the project takes off in a swift manner and get completed.

However, tourists have recently of spotting snakes in the area owing to lack of regular maintenance. With snakes crawling through pathways and parks located inside, the public has urged the Forest Department to undertake better maintenance work.

Gunasekaran, a tourist who visited the park recently, said, "We spotted a snake which was over five foot long on the common pathway. Several families visit the park and children are usually seen playing. We hope the department takes immediate steps to address the issue."

When contacted, forest officials promised to immediately do the needful.