Minister for Housing, Prohibition and Excise S. Muthusamy on Monday inaugurated the work to widen the Thoppur–Mettur–Bhavani–Erode Road (State Highway No. 20) from km 90/0 to km 92/9, covering a stretch of 2.9 km, into a four-lane road with rigid pavement.

The works, to be executed by the State Highways Department, is expected to ease congestion in the city. The project also includes the construction of stormwater drains on both sides of the road, a 60-metre-long additional high-level bridge across the Pichaikaran Pallam stream at Km 90/6, and six box culverts to facilitate smooth drainage of rainwater.

Erode MP K.E. Prakash, Erode (East) MLA Thiru V.C. Chandrakumar, Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj, Corporation Commissioner Arpit Jain, councillors and officials were present.