"Widening of Vellore's Old Bypass Road Commences"

In a bid to mitigate traffic congestion during the festival season and bolster connectivity to the Chennai-Bengaluru highway, the ambitious project of widening the Old Bypass Road in Vellore from a two-lane to a four-lane thoroughfare is officially underway.

The project, executed by the Department of State Highways, is set to transform the existing two-lane stretch into a four-lane expanse. Commuters are advised to anticipate slower traffic conditions in the vicinity due to the ongoing road expansion work. The initial phase of construction has commenced near Old Town, chosen for the availability of open space along the existing carriageway.

Overseeing this crucial infrastructure upgrade is R. Prakash, Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE) of State Highways in Vellore.

The widened stretch aims to provide a convenient and alternate route for motorists from Old Town, enabling them to bypass the congestion-prone Anna Salai and Arcot Road, thus granting more efficient access to the highway and Katpadi," explained S. Vinoth, a local motorist.

Funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme for the year 2022-23, this 1-kilometer expansion project will augment the existing carriageway's width from seven meters to nine meters, complete with tiled pavement.

The project also includes the replacement of old stormwater drains with new wide drains measuring three meters in width and 1.5 meters in depth, flanking both sides of the roadway. This will help in averting flooding in residential areas along the highway by directing excess rainwater into the nearby Nicholson Canal, which is intricately linked to the Palar river.

As part of the construction process, eight Tangedco utility poles have been earmarked for relocation, and trees situated near the existing carriageway will be uprooted. A spacious culvert is being constructed along the stretch to channel excess rainwater into the canal. The comprehensive project is slated for completion within a span of two months.

During the monsoon season, areas like Shenbakkam, Mango Mandi, and Ambedkar Nagar along the highway grapple with flooding due to the sluggish drainage of rainwater through culverts and bridges on the stretch, causing blockages in the water channel. To address this issue, officials from the Vellore Corporation have deployed high-power pump sets to alleviate stagnant rainwater in these areas.

The Nicholson Canal, extending for a length of nine kilometers, plays a pivotal role by funneling excess rainwater from neighboring hillocks such as Pinchamandai, Kurumalai, Nechimedu, Pallakollai, and Vellakalmalai into the Palar river. This critical waterway also helps maintain the levels of local lakes, including Suriyakulam and Otteri. In addition to these benefits, it assists in averting town inundation during the monsoon, according to Corporation officials.

THE HINDU