Two vehicular underpasses to come up on Salem– Kochi NH in Erode district

Two vehicular underpasses (VUPs) with service roads would come up at Kanjikovil and Thudupathi road junctions on the Chengapalli – Bhavani stretch of the Salem – Kochi National Highway 544 to prevent accidents and also to ensure free flow of vehicle movement.

K. Subbarayan, Tiruppur MP, under whose constituency 43 km of the highway falls, has been urging Union Minister for Road, Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari for mini flyovers on the stretch where accidents occur regularly. The MP said that heavy traffic leads to multiple choke points and increases the vulnerability of accidents. Hence, he wanted mini flyovers at Perundurai – Kanjikovil – Kavindapadi cross road, Perundurai – Pethampalayam – Kavundapadi cross road, Perundurai – Thudupathi – Makkinamkombai cross road and Kolathupalayam - Vijayamangalam cross section.

The Minister, in a communication to the MP, said that in response to VUP reference, a study was conducted and in-principle approval has been accorded for constructing six-lane VUPs at Kanjikovil road and Thudupathi road with service roads at a total cost of ₹6.01 crore. Also, service roads would also come up on Pethampalayam Road and Vijayamangalam – Vaipadi Road at ₹4.80 crore. The letter said that work is in progress to construct a foot-over-bridge at Thiruvachi junction at a cost of ₹87.27 lakh.

The National Highways Authority of India under the Ministry has forwarded the project report to the headquarters in New Delhi, for approval.