Uncertainty prevails over alternative road planned along Uyyakondan riverbank

Uncertainty prevails over the construction of a new road proposed between the MGR Statue Junction and Sunnambukaranpatti, along the Uyyakondan river bank in Tiruchi.

The road was conceived during the previous DMK regime as an alternative to the heavily congested Vayalur Road in the city, following persistent complaints from residents over severe traffic congestion on the narrow road leading to Vayalur from Puthur.

The road was also expected to serve as an alternative route to the Tiruchi-Kuzhumani-Jeeyapuram Road, a major district road (MDR-461), as well as the Allithurai-Thogamalai Road (MDR-12).

It would link the city with the inner link road, being developed along the Koraiyar and Kudamuritti river banks by the Tiruchi Corporation, and the semi-ring road to be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), connecting the major national highways around the city.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the road was drawn up by the Projects Wing of the Department of Highways, which was expected to execute the project originally. Later, it was decided that the road would be developed by the Water Resources Department (WRD), as it has jurisdiction over the bunds along the river.

While WRD sources said administrative sanction was awaited for the project, local residents wanted it to be executed expeditiously to decongest the Vayalur Road.

“It is a badly needed alternative route to for people living along the Vayalur Road, which is facing severe congestion; pedestrians are not even able to cross it. The existing narrow road is already being used by a sizeable section of people. If widened, it will be very useful,” observed S. Pushpavanam, a resident of the locality and secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu.

Change in govt.

However, doubts linger among a section of people. “With the change of government, we are not sure whether the project would get the sanction now. But it is essential to develop the road. At the same time, care should be taken that the project does not affect or reduce the width of the Uyyakondan canal, an irrigation source,” said N. Rajendran of Vayalur, a farmers’ leader.

The new two-lane road, with a width of 7.5 metres, was proposed to developed at total cost of ₹186 crore, including about ₹65 crore earmarked for land acquisition. About 40,000 sq. m of lands would have to be acquired at a few places along the river bund for the project.

An elevated structure was planned across the Puthur Weir and aqueduct, the confluence point of the Uyyakondan, the Koraiyar, and the Kudamuritti rivers, along with a high-level rotary connecting the new link road being built by the Tiruchi Corporation along the Koraiyar bund from Panjapur (near the Integrated Bus Stand) to the Karur Highway.