Funds allocated for the 2nd ‘package’ of the Western Expressway; Highways Department awaits administrative approval
Coimbatore: The work on the Western Expressway is in full swing in Coimbatore. Land acquisition for the second ‘package’ is 90 percent complete. A concept note has been sent to the Tamil Nadu government seeking administrative approval for Rs. 340 crore.
The Western Expressway starts at the Milekal area near Madukkarai on the Coimbatore-Palakkad road and ends at Narasimhanayakkan Palayam; the work is being carried out in three ‘packages’ over a distance of 32.43 km, passing through 15 revenue villages.
The first ‘package’ is 11.8 km long, of which 6 km has been paved. The Tamil Nadu government has set a target to complete the first package by August. At the same time, the State Highways Department has been expedited to complete the work by July.
The villagers where the Western Bypass will be built have demanded that a service road be laid. Accordingly, a service road is also planned to be laid before the bypass work is completed. In it, a bridge is being built in Thithipalayam. In the second package, 90 percent of the land has been acquired. An administrative approval has been sought and a concept note has been sent for Rs 340 crore. The Highways Department expects approval to be received in two months. After that, it will take three to four months to complete the tender process.
In this, bridges need to be built at three places, Thondamuthur, Maruthamalai and Kanuvai. Preliminary work has begun to acquire land for the third package. An estimate has been prepared that Rs 220 crore will be required to build a road in that area as well.
In this regard, the State Highways Department said, ‘We are planning to complete the first ‘package’ of the Western Expressway by July.
‘Once this road is put into use, we will start the second ‘package’ of the work,’ he said.
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