Two flyovers to come up at accident-prone Kitchipalayam and Erumapalayam Junctions in Salem

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) decided to construct two flyovers at accident-prone Kitchipalayam and Erumapalayam Junctions on the Salem-Ulundurpet National Highway and the works are expected to start at the end of this month.

Per day thousands of vehicles use the NH to reach Chennai. In this stretch, to reduce accidents, the NHAI identified the accident-prone areas and is constructing flyovers. Accidents are regularly reported at Kitchipalayam and Erumapalayam Junctions in this stretch, as these two junctions connect Salem Corporation with rural areas. People residing at Thedeer Nagar, Subash Chandrabose Nagar, Erumapalayam, Sanniyasigundu, Kumaragiri, Namamalai, Kuttikaradu, and Ceelon Colony have to cross this highway to reach Salem Corporation and Salem Old Bus Stand.

Likewise, there are four schools, including two government schools, minor industries, a sub-registrar office, a regional transport office, lorry workshops, iron scrap shops, and commercial establishments functioning in these two junctions. So from morning to night, from two-wheelers to heavy vehicles pass on this road. To reduce accidents, the Salem City Police kept barricades to reduce the speed of the vehicles but it did not give fruitful results. So, the local people demanded construction of flyovers in these two junctions to reduce the accidents.

Following the demand, last month, the NHAI gave consent to construct flyovers in these two junctions.

Officials attached to NHAI said that last month, after NHAI gave its consent, the process of tender works were completed and by the end of February, the tender will be allocated and the construction works will be started immediately. Currently, the evaluation work is under way for these two flyovers. The flyovers will be constructed at a cost of ₹45 crore and will have a length of 500 to 600 metres. Measures to speed up the process and to commence the construction works before the announcement of Assembly elections to avoid delay has been initiated. The two flyovers will be constructed and opened to the public by July 2027, officials added.