Road work to be over by May 2011

Works for widening and strengthening the battered stretch of Mettuppalayam Road in two packages from Stock Exchange to Sukrawarpet and from Sukrawarpet to Narashima Naickenpalayam are progressing at the right and scheduled place and the widened road would be thrown open by May 2011.

Widening and strengthening of the Mettupalayam Road was a long-pending demand since the battered stretch was proving to be accident prone because of the congestion.

Work was taken up recently. Works are progressing at the right pace under the supervision of the Divisional Engineer, G. Thangamuthu and Assistant Divisional Engineer, R. Thangamuthu.

The officials said that a total of 267 electric poles had to be shifted to the extreme road boundary of the new alignment besides 13 transformers.

The TNEB's estimate of Rs. 1.17 crore towards the cost of shifting has been forwarded to the Government and the same would be remitted shortly for enabling the shifting.

Similarly, the Highways Department to make the space available for widening had auctioned i.e., cutting of 612 trees on either side of the road.

Now, a number of sponsors have come forward in order to planting saplings on the extreme road boundary of the widened stretch of Mettupalayam Road.

Depending on the space available, the greenery lost would be adequately compensated.

The Department was ready for planting even ten saplings per tree removed.

The road would be a near 100 per cent straight alignment and there would be 11 bridges widened, and four including a major bridge which would be new.

One existing bridge across Sanganur canal would be rehabilitated through repairs.

On the specifications of the road to cater to the ever-increasing traffic density, the officials pointed out that the road length would be 24.8 km from Sukrawarpet to Narashimanaickenpalayam.

The road width would measure 18.7 m of black topped surface from one extreme boundary to the other with 2 m earthen shoulders on either side for easy negotiation.

The width would include 1.2 m for road median/ separator.

The bridges would measure 23.5 m with median and foot path on either side.

Given the current pace of the works, the authorities are confident of completing the works on schedule and throwing it open for traffic by May 2011.

Source-Hindu