Road users want flyover work at Dasanaickenpatti in Salem speeded up

Public demands faster completion of long-delayed flyover project on Salem-Namakkal Highway, causing traffic congestion and safety concerns.

The public have sought measures to speed up the flyover work, in progress for the past for two-and-a-half years, at Dasanaickenpatti on the Salem-Namakkal National Highway.

A six-lane road passes from Seelanaickenpalayam bypass in Salem, and is used every day by thousands of vehicles. However, the vehicles cannot use the Highway for about four km due to the absence of a road connecting the service road. The local residents had reportedly damaged the side medians of the service roads, and the centre median to cross the road. As it led to accidents, the road users sought a flyover.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced a project to construct a 450-metre-long flyover at ₹ 13.5 crore at Dasanaickenpatti, and the work started in January 2022. However, the work is proceeding at a snail’s pace.

S. Gunasekaran, a resident of Panamarathupatti, said with the flyover work under way, vehicles heading to Namakkal had to use the narrow service road, and there are traffic snarls almost through out the day. The recent rain had rendered the service road waterlogged. The NHAI officials should look into the issue and complete the flyover work soon, he said.

Officials of the NHAI said the project was to be completed in 18 months. But due to shortage in availability of sand in the initial stage, the work was delayed. Further, the sub-contractor stopped the work due to an issue with the main contractor. The NHAI conducted three meetings with the contractors and urged them to complete the work. The flyover is expected to be ready for use in another three months. “We have created an outlet for the rainwater to flow into a nearby channel at the construction site. Rainwater will not stagnate in the locality,” the officials said .