NHAI builds service roads on Trichy-Thanjavur NH

Building service roads on the Trichy-Thanjavur NH area is currently the NHAI’s main priority in order to allay safety worries and minimise elevated corridor expenses.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) gives priority to building service roads instead of an elevated corridor in an effort to relieve traffic on the Trichy-Thanjavur national highway (NH), it is known for having multiple deadly incidents. The NHAI has chosen not to pursue the costly elevating route due to public resistance. Since the elevated road concept has been essentially scrapped, the service road project would require concerted efforts from the state government and NHAI.

The 14.4-kilometer section of the Trichy-Thanjavur NH between Palpannai and Thuvakudi hasn’t had service roads in about ten years, yet despite this, the area continues to draw major investments, with new commercial complexes popping up on both sides of the highway. Some traders requested an elevated corridor as a way to prevent land acquisition and property loss, while residents are calling for service roads.

However, both the state administration and the NHAI have succeeded in finding a solution to this problem. The need for service roads has reappeared as the small roadway that connects Trichy and the Cauvery delta is now significantly busier. The NHAI responded by saying they were not inclined to pursue an elevated corridor on the NH between Trichy and Thanjavur.

“We do not promote for the elevated corridor concept since people don’t find it appealing. However, the service road plan needs the state government’s backing to become a reality, a senior NHAI official informed TOI. The project’s cost is another consideration in abandoning the elevated corridor, in addition to popular opposition. The elevated corridor proposal, which calls for financial sharing between the state and Union governments, is likely to cost roughly Rs 3,000 crore, while the service roads for the 14.4 km stretch are expected to cost about Rs 520 crore.

Residents of SIT College, Oil Mill, Kattur, VIN Nagar, and Malai Kovil argue that vehicle underpasses (VuP) are essential in addition to service roads because these five major intersections on the NH are prone to traffic jams. “We want to approach and cross the roadway without feeling anxious or afraid. Trucks, cars heading for the highway, and buses must use vehicular underpasses to avoid busy intersections, according to Kattur resident Saran Raj.

Because there aren’t many service roads along the stretch, it’s now normal to drive and ride on the wrong side. Additionally, locals expressed dissatisfaction over the roadway’s many potholes, which are insufficient to meet national highway standards and pose a hazard to two-wheeler users. According to NHAI sources, an estimate has been created and submitted to the organization’s headquarters for approval in order to authorise funding and start road relaying construction on the NH Trichy-Thanjavur section.

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