After frustrated with traffic congestion everyday along the Thiruvananthapuram Highway between Vannarpet and Palayamkottai, residents here desperately look up to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for sanctioning a new 2 km-long road to connect Nehru Auditorium and South Bypass Road via the unused fields as it will provide everlasting solution to decades-old problem.
Since all the vehicles going to Papanasam, Tenkasi and Kerala, all in the west and Sankarankovil and Rajapalayamm, both in the northwest, from Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts have to cross Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli, it cause serious traffic congestion in the city, especially in the cramped Tirunelveli Town areas.
When Mr. Stalin visited Tirunelveli in September 2022, after discussing with then District Collector V. Vishnu before the start of the function, he announced in the function that the 32-km-long West Bypass Road to connect Konganthaanpaarai intersection on the south of Palayamkottai and Thaazhaiyooththu in the north via Tharuvai on Palayamkottai – Papanasam Highway, Suththamalli on Tirunelveli – Cheranmahadevi Road, Abhishekapatti on Tirunelveli – Tenkasi Highway and Rastha on Tirunelveli – Sankarankovil Highway would be laid at the cost of ₹370 crore. This much-awaited bypass road, when opened for traffic, will give everlasting solution to the perennial traffic congestion within Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli as the west-bound vehicles to Ambasmudram and Papanasam, Tenkasi and Kerala and northwest-bound vehicles to Sankarankovil and Rajapalayam need not enter these ‘twin towns’.
As Mr. Stalin himself sanctioned this bypass road during his visit to Tirunelveli, acquisition of land for the road was done at lightning pace and first phase of the road between Konganthaanpaarai intersection and Suththamalli for 12 Km has almost been completed. And, work on the second phase for 20 Km is to be commenced after 98% of land acquisition has been completed. Minister for Highways E.V. Velu inspected the west bypass road work on Saturday.
“Hence, the Chief Minister, during his visit to Tirunelveli on Sunday, should give the residents the ‘Christmas Gift’ by sanctioning the 2 km-long road with 100-feet-width to connect Nehru Auditorium in Palayamkottai and the South Bypass Road via the uncultivated fields. Since the existing narrow 75-year-old Thiruvananthapuram Highway cannot handle the vehicles and traffic congestion has become inseparable part of this stretch throughout the day, the Chief Minister, who generously sanctioned the much-needed West Bypass Road, should gift this road also,” said Gunasingh Chelladurai of Bell Group of Companies.
According to the survey conducted 8 years ago by the Department of Highways and Police at Chellapandian traffic island at Vannarpet, more than 12,500 vehicles are crossing this busy point every hour from east to west and vice-versa while this volume is just 4,500 in the north-south or south – north direction. Hence, the Thiruvananthapuram Highway housing leading commercial establishments, two higher secondary schools, a school for the intellectually challenged and CSI Cathedral, all receiving huge number of students and the public everyday, should be supported with an additional road to avoid traffic snarls and consequent accidents. Moreover, the ambulances carrying the patients to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TVMCH) or the leading private hospitals along the north and south bypass roads have to traverse this strangled stretch.
A good number of land owners, having their fields between Nehru Auditorium and South Bypass Road have already donated their lands for laying the new road considering the growth of Palayamkottai. They have donated their lands in the name of Tamil Nadu Governor for laying the road. And, a few more land owners even submitted a petition to Tirunelveli Corporation on November 29, 2022 expressing their willingness to donate their land for the road.
“However, the Corporation officials did not take any further action to realise this dream road. If it is sanctioned, it will be perfect gift for entire Tirunelveli,” said a doctor working with TVMCH.
Published – December 20, 2025 07:58 pm IST
