Arumparthapuram bypass project yet to take off

Delay attributed to land acquisition issues in four revenue villages

In 2010, the Public Works Department mooted a four-lane bypass road at the intersection of the western arm of flyover on the 100-feet road that connects with the railway over bridge at Arumparthapuram in Villianur. However, the project is yet to take off. The inordinate delay has caused much resentment among the road users.

The expansion of the 4.45 km stretch of the bypass was conceived by the PWD under the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) scheme. The delay in executing the project has been mainly attributed to problems in acquiring land from four revenue villages — Olandai, Reddiyarpalayam, Kurumbapet and Odiampet — that fall under the corridor.

According to official sources, the project has been going through rough patches from the initial stages. “The government had acquired the Right of Way for about 22 metres on the stretch. A mud road was laid from the western arm of the flyover on the 100-feet road to a distance of 2.25 km. But differences in fixing price for two revenue villages resulted in a few residents moving the court. This put the project in trouble. The issue was resolved after the government settled ₹39 crore to the landowners for the project,” an official said.