Coimbatore industrialists demand urgent widening of Neelambur-Madukkarai bypass
Industrialists in Coimbatore have called upon the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to accelerate the long-pending widening of the Neelambur-Madukkarai bypass stretch on NH-544. The demand comes in the wake of escalating traffic congestion and frequent accidents on the 27-kilometer corridor, which has become a major bottleneck for commuters.
Key concerns raised by Kongu Global Forum
J Sathish, director of the Kongu Global Forum, highlighted that the Salem-Kochi National Highway serves as a vital route for motorists traveling between Bengaluru and Kerala via Coimbatore. While the Neelambur-Sengapalli and Madukkarai-Walayar stretches have already been widened into six-lane roads, the Neelambur-Madukkarai section remains a narrow two-lane road, creating a significant bottleneck and posing serious safety risks.
According to Sathish, the 27km stretch features several busy intersections, including Pattanam, Trichy Road, Pollachi Road, Chettipalayam, Madukkarai, and Palathurai. The absence of adequate traffic signals, grade separators, and bridges has made travel extremely hazardous. "Accidents on this stretch have become a daily occurrence. We have been demanding widening work for more than 10 years, but there has been no visible progress," he stated.
NHAI takeover and lack of progress
The bypass stretch was taken over by NHAI from the state highways wing on June 1, 2025, for further development, improvement, and capacity augmentation. This move initially raised hopes among residents and industrialists that the road would soon be upgraded into a six-lane carriageway. However, Sathish noted that there has been no significant progress even a year after the takeover.
In late April, Sathish submitted a petition through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, seeking an update on the project. In its response, NHAI's Project Implementation Unit in Coimbatore stated that a detailed project report (DPR) for widening the bypass into a six-lane carriageway is currently under preparation. The DPR covers traffic assessment, identification of accident-prone locations and black spots, junction improvement proposals, service roads, drainage, pedestrian safety measures, and utility assessments.
NHAI further mentioned that the project would be taken up for implementation after the completion of the DPR and after obtaining approvals from the competent authority and the Union government, subject to statutory clearances and availability of funds.
Call for fast-tracking the project
Sathish expressed concern over the delay, especially since land acquisition is not a major hurdle as the required land was acquired decades ago. He urged NHAI to fast-track the project in the interest of public safety and the city's growth. "The delay is worrying. We need immediate action to prevent further accidents and ensure smooth traffic flow," he added.
