The damaged stretch of Marudhamalai Road near Vadavalli in Coimbatore city on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: M. PERIASAMY
A six-km stretch of Marudhamalai Road in the city has remained damaged for nearly five months after being dug up for underground sewerage works, with residents raising concerns over road safety.
A Vadavalli resident said a woman recently fell into one of the excavated portions. She did not sustain injuries but had to be lifted out using an earthmover.
Sand excavated during the work has spread across much of the carriageway, leaving only a small portion of the tarred surface visible, the resident said. The road becomes particularly slippery even during light rain.
The stretch is also used by a large number of pilgrims travelling to the Marudhamalai temple. Many of them are unfamiliar with the road conditions and some travel at speed, increasing the risk of skidding on the loose sand and uneven surface, the resident said.
The road was dug up as part of underground sewerage works being carried out by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD Board) in Vadavalli, Veerakeralam, Kavundampalayam and Thudiyalur. The project is estimated at ₹935 crore.
The Marudhamalai Road is under the control of the State Highways Department. A senior Corporation official said the funds required for restoring the road had been provided through the TWAD Board and that the Highways Department would take up the restoration.
Officials said the sewerage work was being carried out in phases. Work between Mullai Nagar and Vadavalli had been completed, and the Highways Department had been asked to take up the road restoration. The sewerage work on the Marudhamalai Road was expected to be completed by December, they said.
The Highways Department is expected to go ahead with the tender soon for restoring the road, the Corporation official said.
Published – October 07, 2026 08:15 pm IST
