NHAI to take over Neelambur bypass soon

Coimbatore: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is all set to take over the 28km Neelambur bypass road, which is currently maintained and controlled by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Limited. The bypass connects Neelambur and Madukkarai.
"Toll plazas will be taken over by the NHAI from the concessionaire on June 1. We expect to receive an official communication regarding the complete takeover of the bypass from L&T in a couple of weeks. We are closely following up on this matter with the NHAI office," said district collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar.
An NHAI official said they were yet to receive an official communication. "Discussions are going on, and things will be finalized in a couple of days."
The Neelambur bypass remained a 10-metre wide, two-lane road since L&T signed an agreement with the Union ministry of road transport and highways in 1999 to maintain it for 30 years by collecting toll from vehicles. With the increasing population and rising number of vehicles, the road frequently experiences congestion, and accidents occur daily. Over the past decade, there were strong demands from various quarters to widen the road, as the number of fatal accidents increased.
K Kathirmathiyon, secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said, "The narrow, two-lane stretch of the Salem-Kochi highway record one of the highest numbers of road accidents in the state. The 28km stretch from Neelambur to Madukkarai should be upgraded to six lanes. Fatal accidents cannot be brought down on the stretch without expanding the road."
In the past road safety meetings, he said the National Highways officials had informed them that the six toll plazas along the stretch would be merged into one, which would reduce the toll burden on local residents.