The State Highways Department is expected to initiate works for the Sathyamangalam bypass road soon in Coimbatore district.
| Photo Credit: Siva SaravananS

The State Highways Department is expected to commence works for developing the Sathyamangalam bypass road in Coimbatore district soon.

The 3 (A) notification for the project was published in the gazette recently and will be published in newspapers this week, said an official of the State Highways Department. After that, the Highways Department officials will hold talks with the land owners to take possession of lands for the 92-km road project.

The four-lane greenfield road plan till Kakanallah in Tamil Nadu – Karnataka border was taken over by the State Highways (NH wing) from the National Highways Authority of India in 2022. It will pass through the Sathyamangalam tiger reserve and will be a toll road.

Villagers in Annur said that almost 800 acres will be acquired for the greenfield project, including agri lands benefitting from the Athikadavu-Avinashi water scheme. From Kovilpalayam to Annur in Coimbatore district, it will pass through 12 villages.

They pointed out that two alternative roads – the Saravanampatti road in Coimbatore will be widened with funds from the Central government. There is another road from Coimbatore to Bannari that will be nine km shorter than the proposed greenfield project. This can be widened too.

Further, the new road will pass through a tiger reserve and hence, vehicles will not be able to use it beyond evening hours.

The NHAI had published 3 (A) and it lapsed when the State Highways Department took over the project.

“We will continue to oppose this project as it will affect several acres of fertile agriculture land, will not be used much because of the toll planned, and will not benefit many because it will pass through the forest area,” said Dhanapal, one of the villagers.