The State Highways Department has begun construction of the second stage of the Thuraiyur Bypass up to Athur Road in the town.
Under the second stage, the bypass will be built for a distance of 5.20 km from Perambalur Road Junction to Athur Road Junction.
The project will be executed by the Projects Wing of the Highways Department. Once complete, the bypass will become a semi-ring road around Thuraiyur, connecting important State highways.
According to Highways Department officials, land acquisition has been completed paving the way for the execution of the project. In 2018, the government had accorded administrative sanction for the land acquisition at a cost of ₹20 crore. The acquisition process was completed last year.
In 2012, the Highways Department had completed the first stage of the bypass from Thuraiyur Road Junction to the Perambalur Road. The construction of the 3.4-km bypass had eased traffic congestion on the narrow roads of Thuraiyur town to a considerable extent.
Vehicles headed towards Musiri, Karur, Namakkal, and Pallappatti from Chennai, and heavy vehicles transporting consignments from cement factories in and around Ariyalur go via the bypass while heading towards Coimbatore, Erode, Palakkad, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Hosur, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Subsequently, a detailed project report for the second phase of the bypass was drawn up in 2015. Last year, the State government sanctioned ₹47.50 crore for the extension of bypass up to the Athur Road Junction.
The carriage way of the two-lane road will be of 12 metres in width. Two high-level overbridges and 24 minor bridges would be built. Three major road junctions would be improved under the project. The extension of the bypass is expected to help considerably reduce traffic congestion in Thuraiyur town.
Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru recently laid the foundation stone for the project. It will be completed within 15 months, the official said.
