The proposed greenfield highway between Karur and Coimbatore is likely to be delayed by two years.

Taking into account mounting traffic bottlenecks because of exponential growth in vehicular movement on the existing highway between Karur and Coimbatore, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had mooted a proposal to form a new road between Karur and Coimbatore a few years ago.

The NHAI officials subsequently carried out several surveys to measure the volume of traffic as well as identify the alignment of the new road. However, the proposal did not make the much-needed progress, though the subject continued to be on the agenda at NHAI meetings.

The NHAI subsequently appointed a consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR). The consultant almost completed the DPR work after making several visits to various areas between Karur and Coimbatore.

As per the proposal, a six-lane highway with service roads wherever they are required will be formed between Karur and Coimbatore. The alignment of the proposed highway had been designed. It will run about five km parallel to the existing highway between Karur and Coimbatore.

According to sources, the identification of land required for the project had been completed. As per the draft alignment, it might have to acquire 900 hectares of land. It is estimated that it might require ₹3,500 crore for executing the project. It was expected that the NHAI would approve the project in the second half of 2024. However, the NHAI had been going slow on the process and it was yet to give clearance to the project.

A senior official of the NHAI told The Hindu that preparation of DPR was on. Widening of the existing highway between Karur and Coimbatore, funded by the Ministry of Road Transport, had been taken up. It was expected that it would be completed within a few months. As per a recent survey, it was established that the existing road, once it was widened with paved shoulders, was sufficient to handle the volume of traffic for the time being. The volume of traffic would be closely monitored. Greenfield highway was a high volume project in terms of fund allocation. Hence, it was getting delayed. Efforts were on to get the approval for the project as early as possible, he said.