Coimbatore’s highways for trade

Coimbatore’s history of road network dates back to pre-Roman empire period. Positioned near the Palghat Pass, it was a route to transport goods to ports in the ancient Mussiri or Vanji

For a district that has the distinction of five national highways crisscrossing it, the history of road development dates back to the era before the Roman Empire.

The Madras Gazetteer documents that the region had trade with Egypt and Greece possibly even before the Roman Empire and this is evident from a bronze jug unearthed in Avinashi. “It is believed that the trade route in those days lay from the Malabar Coast through the Palghat gap to Coimbatore, Salem, and Madurai,” it says.

C.M. Ramachandran (Kovai Kizhar) narrates in his book “Idhuvo Engal Kovai” that Romans traded pepper and other expensive goods with Kongunadu and the goods went to Musiri or Vanji ports. So, there were pathways created to transport the goods. One such was from Karur through the Palghat gap and another was via Vellalore and Perur. With the fall of the Roman Empire, trade with the Romans ceased. Nearly 1,200 years ago, more pathways were developed for trade covering Bhavani, Thirumuruganpoondi, Annur, Kovilpalayam, Thudiyalur, etc.

A four-line (“venbha”) verse on the Chola King Adhitan, who is said to have strengthened the highways around 10 A.D., speaks of a Kongu Peruvazhi or Rajakesari Peruvazhi. This is located at Aiyyasamy Hills, almost 20 km from Coimbatore, in a forest area.

Kovai Kizhar says there was also a Kongu Vallivadhi, named after the daughter of a kongu king.

The Gazetteer says that in post-independence period, under the Rural Welfare Scheme of 1953, one of the important measures taken up in Coimbatore area was development of roads connecting villages to the main roads. In 1952-1953, 195 miles of new roads were laid, and existing roads and cart tracks improved.