The Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISIA) has appealed to the Central government to upgrade the existing two-lane Nilambur bypass into a six-lane expressway, complete with service roads. They have also requested the construction of flyovers at major intersections to improve road safety and ease traffic congestion.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, CODISIA president M Karthikeyan highlighted Coimbatore’s significant contribution to Tamil Nadu’s gross state domestic product, which amounted to Rs 2 trillion last year. He also noted that the district was home to one of the country’s earliest Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects—a 27-km stretch from Nilambur to Madukarai—an important route providing access to Kerala.
Karthikeyan pointed out that while the bypass is six lanes wide at both ends, the central 27-km section remains two-lane, making it highly accident-prone and dotted with blackspots.
With the project now transferred from L&T to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), CODISIA has urged the ministry to expedite the conversion of this stretch into a six-lane expressway.
He further explained that upon completion, the upgraded road would serve as an ideal route for Coimbatore, connecting key locations such as the new airport terminal, container depot, railway goods shed, industrial zones, educational institutions, hospitals, IT parks, malls, entertainment hubs, and residential neighborhoods.
Karthikeyan urged the minister to fast-track the project, emphasizing that it would not only provide much-needed relief to Coimbatore residents but also benefit travelers journeying from Kerala to Bengaluru, Chennai, and other cities.
News source: News 24
