The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has commenced a survey to demarcate land acquired for widening the Trichy-Karur national highway, a narrow and accident-prone stretch that connects the western and central districts of Tamil Nadu. This initiative comes more than a decade after the land was originally acquired for the project but remained unutilized. With fatal accidents continuing to occur on this highway, the NHAI plans to undertake road improvement works, including widening portions of the stretch near the Cauvery riverbank.
Survey Details and Scope
The survey covers an 11-kilometer section between Thindukkarai and Pettavaithalai. Revenue and survey department officials are currently marking the boundaries of acquired land on both sides of the highway in Perugamani village, based on compensation records and land documents. Although land was acquired on both sides of the highway, the NHAI is yet to take possession of several parcels. Commercial establishments and other properties continue to function on the acquired land.
Property Owner Considerations
Officials have stated that property owners will be given sufficient time to vacate before the acquisition process is completed. Some landowners have expressed willingness to surrender the acquired portions of their properties, while compensation is still pending in a few cases. A senior NHAI official explained to the Times of India, "The survey is to review the land acquisition status. While complete widening of the highway is not possible, necessary improvements will be carried out to ensure road safety."
Expected Improvements
Officials expect to gain 10 to 15 feet of additional space on the narrow stretch for improvement work. K Thangaraj, a retired Indian Air Force officer from Trichy, suggested, "Using the land available on both sides of the carriageway, NHAI should provide a median and a bus bay for school students in Thirupparaithurai."
Future Plans
The NHAI also mentioned that preliminary work is underway to prepare a detailed project report for the proposed four-lane Trichy-Karur-Coimbatore greenfield highway, which aims to ease congestion on the existing route. This survey follows a report by the Times of India highlighting how land acquired for widening the accident-prone Trichy-Karur highway had remained unutilized for more than a decade, despite recurring fatal accidents.
