Vehicular underpass on NH stretch at Padalur near Perambalur to be ready next month

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has planned to complete the construction of the ongoing vehicular underpass (VUP) along the Tiruchi-Chennai national highway at Padalur in Perambalur district next month.

The construction of the VUP was taken up after the location was identified as accident-prone along the busy highway stretch which witnesses heavy volume of vehicular movements towards Chennai and from down south and central region.

NHAI officials said the underpass was expected to be ready by the end of July. Vehicles were being diverted to the service roads alongside the project site. The considerable time taken for completing the ₹35-crore project prompted road users to call for steps to expedite the work.

Sources said the NHAI along with the Perambalur district police and transport department authorities had jointly identified 14 locations prone to accidents along the national highway stretch from Padalur to Thirumandurai in Perambalur district.

The spots included Perambalur four road, Sengunam diversion road, Vijayagopalapuram diversion road, Chinnaru diversion road, Mangalamedu, Thiruvilakurichi diversion road, and Irur.

Steps were taken for every location which was to be carried out by the NHAI in an effort to curb accidents. These steps included eviction of encroachment, construction of vehicular underpass, reducing the width of the median, establishment of blinkers, provision of rumble strips, installing plastic speed breakers on approach roads and construction of service roads.

The NHAI had reduced width of the median at Vijayagopalapuram. Encroachments of shops and nameboards had been removed along the highway. Blinkers had been provided at certain other locations where it was required, the sources added. 

Published - June 16, 2025 07:47 pm IST