Soil tests under way for new bypass in Musiri on Tiruchi-Namakkal Highway

The State Highways Department has started carrying out “soil exploration tests” for building a bypass around the municipal town of Musiri on the Tiruchi-Namakkal-Salem Highway.

The State Highways Department has started carrying out “soil exploration tests” for building a bypass around the municipal town of Musiri on the Tiruchi-Namakkal-Salem Highway.

The bypass planned for a length of 9.3 km will help reduce the travel time between Tiruchi and Namakkal and Salem, besides easing the traffic congestion in Musiri, situated about 40 km from here. The Tiruchi-Namakkal-Salem Highway passes through the town and the through-traffic is often held up in the traffic snarls.

Scores of buildings are situated along the Tiruchi-Namakkal Highway, giving little leeway for widening of the road. Land acquisition within the town for any expansion would be prohibitively expensive. Hence, it was decided to build a bypass around the town to ease the situation.

The State government has sanctioned ₹74 lakh for preparing the detailed project report and other preparatory work for building the bypass.

The bypass will run between Umayalpuram and rejoining the Tiruchi-Namakkal highway near the Kokkuvettiyan Temple beyond the Periyar bridge across the Cauvery, Highways Department officials said.

The bypass would connect the Musiri-Thandalaiputhur Road, Musiri-Thuraiyur Road, and the Musiri-Thathaiyengarpet Road. The road will run via Umaiyalpuram, Sevanthilingapuram, Musiri East, and M. Pudupatti East and West villages. Eight bridges, including one major bridge, would come up as part of the bypass. The soil tests are being conducted at multiple locations.

The alignment of the bypass has been finalised and the land plan schedule sent to the revenue authorities. The DPR, along with the land acquisition, would be submitted to the government soon for approval. The land acquisition is likely to entail an expenditure of about ₹30 crore, sources in the department said.