Saibaba Colony junction flyover in Coimbatore city thrown open to traffic

The National Highways (NH) wing of the State Highways Department plans to complete the service road works for the Saibaba Colony junction flyover in Coimbatore city in the next two weeks.

The main carriageway of the flyover was thrown open to traffic on Monday evening. “We need to shift an underground drainage line. If the line is shifted, one layer of the road will be re-laid on either side and the service road will also be ready,” said an official of the Department.

The main carriageway of the flyover is 15.61 metres wide with two lanes on either side of the median. The total length, including the approach roads, is 1.2 km with the main flyover running to 975 metres.

The contractor who has constructed the flyover will also maintain it for 10 years. The total project cost is ₹ 74 crore, which comprises the maintenance expenses too, the official said.

This is a project that was taken up without acquiring land. Challenges in shifting an electricity line had delayed the project slightly. However, it is completed one month before the scheduled time of two years, the official added.

The next major project to be taken up is the Singanallur flyover. It involved land acquisition and the contractor has been finalised and work orders issued. “We hope to start the works in a month,” the official said.