Coimbatore’s Saravanampatti flyover project shelved again

Coimbatore: Proposed at a cost of Rs80.5 crore in March 2022 to ease traffic and bring accidents down, the flyover connecting Amman Kovil and Saravanampatti is likely to remain on paper for years to come.With the Chennai Metro Rail Limited refusing to issue a no objection certificate (NOC) citing overlapping alignments with the proposed metro route, the National Highways Wing of the State Highways Department has now shelved the project.
Officials are now considering widening the road and junction improvement plan at a cost of Rs13 crore to temporarily address the issues of traffic congestion and frequent accidents at Saravanampatti. The move has, however, drawn criticism from local activists, who say these surface-level measures would not address long-term traffic congestion or ensure the safety of motorists. This is for the second time officials are shelving the Saravanampatti flyover plans. While it was shelved along with the proposed flyovers at Saibaba Colony and Singanallur in Nov 2022 for overlapping alignments with the planned metro route, the plans were revived in Jan 2023 after a stakeholder meeting chaired by former DMK minister V Senthilbalaji. A senior official attached to the National Highways Wing confirms that the flyover plans are shelved again and that a proposal has been sent to the road transport and highways ministry seeking approval for widening the road and junction upgradation works. "The proposed 1,415-metre four-lane flyover from Amman Kovil to Saravanampatti has been shelved, as CMRL has planned a two-tier structure along the same stretch, with vehicular traffic on the first tier and metro rail on the second. The National Highways Authority of India is in the process of taking over the 329.4-km NH 948 stretch from Coimbatore to Bengaluru from us. NHAI may decide on the flyover and related works after the transfer," says the official. Pointing out that the metro rail project in the city is not confirmed, K Kathirmathiyon, secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, and a member of the District Road Safety Committee, says seeking an NOC from CMRL to complete a project on a parcel of national highway land does not make any sense. "While GD Naidu, Trichy Road, Ukkadam-Aathupalam and Kavundampalayam flyovers faced metro-related objections, they were completed," he says. He says the junction improvement plan implemented at Thudiyalur Junction was a failure and did not reduce traffic congestion. "Flyover projects should not be dropped, as traffic continues to increase. Moreover, metro plans are yet to materialize." According to a senior traffic police officer, Amman Kovil-Saravanampatti stretch faces heavy congestion, which is rising with each passing day. "A flyover is needed at Saravanampatti Junction to ease traffic and reduce accidents." G Mahamani, 61, a truck driver from Sivanandha Mill, says peak-hour traffic snarls are common in the area. "Heavy congestion at the junction leads to frequent vehicle collisions. Road widening will not solve the problem. A flyover will help motorists and heavy vehicles pass through the junction safely." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !