Officials had sanctioned the project on March nine, 2022 under the Annual Plan 2021-2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 804.8 million (804.8 mn). The original design envisaged a four-lane flyover spanning 1,415 m from Amman Kovil to Saravanampatti and identified the junction as a black spot warranting a grade separator. Activists said the proposed construction was delayed while approval from Chennai Metro Rail Limited was awaited because of a proposed metro corridor.
During the delay the then National Highways wing of the State Highways Department proposed an at-grade junction improvement estimated at around Rs 120 million (120 mn), but tenders were not floated as the road was to be handed over to the NHAI. Activists contend that with the metro rail proposal no longer under consideration and the NHAI now overseeing the road, the flyover should be revived rather than pursuing the at-grade alternative. They recalled that a stakeholders meeting convened by the Coimbatore collector in 2023 had seen objections to the at-grade plan and led to restoration of the flyover proposal.
The organisation compared the situation with the Thudiyalur-Mettupalayam Road junction on NH-67, saying an earlier at-grade improvement had failed to ease congestion and become ineffective. It urged the union government to cancel the NHAI at-grade improvement proposal and proceed with construction of the Saravanampatti flyover from Ammankulam along with comprehensive junction improvements at Kalapatti Road and Thudiyalur Road intersections. The activists argued that only a grade separator would provide a long-term solution to increasing traffic volumes and ensure motorist safety.