The State Highways Department is expected to come up with a design
for the proposed flyover on Avinashi Road in a couple of months.

An
official of the department said the flyover for 8.6 km from
Uppilipalayam would be a four-lane one with nine ramps. While five would
be up ramps, four would be down ramps. These would be connected to the
main Avinashi Road. The soil test was over and the alignment had been
finalised.

Now, the project was in the design stage and the
consultant was expected to prepare the design in a couple of months.
Then, the department would finalise it, the official said.

The
locations for the ramps had been identified. About 40-metre space was
needed in these locations. So the project would involve land
acquisition.

Each ramp would be 350 to 400 metres long.

The
project was still in a preliminary stage. Once the design was drafted
and the basic structure finalised, a model of the flyover would be
displayed and opinion of the stakeholders would be taken.

There was a lot of interest in the project and it was expected to cost over Rs. 1,000 crore, the official added.

Architect Arun Prasad of Coimbatore Citizen’s Council said the design planned for the flyover seemed to be fine.

The number of ramps planned would bring down traffic congestion in key locations.

However,
if the metro rail project was to come up on the Avinashi Road stretch
in the future, it would have to go underground, he said.