Marudhamalai Road in need of expansion to match infra growth

The news article discusses the increasing traffic on the Marudhamalai main road in Coimbatore, prompting the Ward 41 councillor, K Shanthi, to write to the state highways department requesting road widening. The councillor, along with CPI functionaries, met with the Divisional Engineer of the State Highways Department and submitted a petition seeking the widening of 1.5 km of the road from Pudhur to Karuparayaswami temple.

According to Shanthi, the road was last widened around 15 years ago, and since then, there has been significant development in the area with the establishment of residential units, commercial complexes, educational institutions, and factories. As a result, traffic on the road has increased. Shanthi emphasizes the need for widening the road and constructing a footpath along with stormwater drains for the welfare of the people.

In response to the request, a senior state highways department official mentioned that the stretch of road mentioned in the councillor’s letter was recently widened. However, further widening would require land acquisition, and there are norms preventing the widening of a road within five years if it has already been widened recently. The official stated that they would assess the feasibility, land requirements, cost, and submit a report to the government for consideration.

The article provides insights into the challenges and considerations involved in addressing the growing traffic concerns and infrastructure needs in the Marudhamalai main road area.