Bypasses to be built in these four TN towns

CHENNAI: Bypasses will be built in Tenkasi, Arcot, Bodinayakkanur and Tirunelveli towns, highways minister E V Velu announced in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday.
The minister said the state highways department would begin Rs 1,055crore worth highway projects under the Ungal Thoguthiyil Muthalamaichar (Chief Minister in your constituency) initiative as part of the second phase.
Over the past three years, the DMK government has invested Rs 42,662 crore in highway projects, with 62% of the funds allocated to projects pending since the AIADMK regime, according to Velu.
The minister, while addressing the debate on the demand for grants for highways and the public works department, said 50 causeways would be taken up under the govt’s Chief Minister All Season Uninterrupted Connectivity Scheme aimed at converting the facilities to high-level bridges by 2026.
"In the last three years, 1,146 causeways have been converted into high-level bridges under the scheme,” he said.
The Chief Minister Road Development Programme will see 200 km of two-lane roads upgraded to four-lane roads, including Avinashi-Mettupalayam Road, Erode-Karur, and Ramanathapuram-Sivaganga roads. Additionally, 550 km of single-lane roads will be widened to two lanes to enhance traffic flow in the current fiscal year.
The highways department will prepare detailed project reports for a new road connecting Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore districts and an outer ring road linking Chittampatti in Madurai and Alampatti on Tenkasi Road.
Priority has been given to roads connecting industries to boost industrial growth and ensure the smooth flow of commodities to these sectors.
“The widening and strengthening of roads connecting industries will be taken up at Rs 200 crore,” Velu said.
In addition, various measures to prevent landslides in hill stations including Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud will be undertaken at a cost of Rs 25 crore. Moreover, 600 km of panchayat/panchayat union roads will be upgraded to 'other district roads' at an expenditure of Rs 680 crore.
The govt will set up a special unit in the highways exclusively for the maintenance of 9,479 bridges built by the department.