Flyovers: Highways department, corporation need to settle jurisdictional issues in Trichy

TRICHY: Preparation of detailed project report (DPR) for two new flyovers to overcome the traffic congestion at Head Post Office (HPO) traffic signal and Sastri road traffic signal is also likely to be taken up. However, for this to materialise, the jurisdictions of state highways and Trichy corporation in maintaining roads have to be revamped since the former has better technical expertise in commissioning flyovers.
Sources in the state highways said a new flyover taking off from the congested HPO signal, thereby linking the Puthur signal near MGMGH, was suggested to municipal administration minister K N Nehru recently. While a DPR is to be prepared, the roads covered including Bharathidasan road and EVR road are maintained by Trichy corporation. The civic body has funding and technical expertise constraints in proposing and even constructing new flyovers. “Some of the crucial roads like Bharathidasan road and Salai road can be handed over to the state highways for better upkeep,” K Shyam Sundar, member, Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavours (TIDES) said.
Similarly, the other proposal envisaging a flyover at Sastri road intersection to facilitate smooth transit of vehicles between Karur bypass road and Thillai Nagar also falls under the civic body’s jurisdiction. State highways department has control over only 21 kms of roads in Trichy city. “Funding will be the challenge in executing the two proposals, state highways can take it up if the civic body is hesitant. A government order has to be passed to take over the civic body roads,” an official source with the state highways said.