Tamil Nadu - Dindigul   

People of all walks urge Govt. to lay new NH-47 between Vedasandur and Dindigul

K. Raju

At least five km away from Kudaganar river in order to avoid flood threat in future People could use the existing Vedasandur highway for other purposes

VULNARABLE: The Vedasandur main road, which is close to the Kudaganar river bridge in Dindigul district.

DINDIGUL: The floods that devastated the entire district, particularly Vedasandur block, during last week, even forced villagers, environmentalists and sociologists to worry about widening of NH-47, connecting Kanniyakumari and New Delhi.

Representatives of local bodies, representatives of various social and environmental organisations in Vedasandur and Thadikombu appealed to the Central Government to lay a new NH, at least five km away from Kudaganar river between Dindigul and Vedasandur in order to avoid flood threat to proposed NH in future.

More over, Kudaganar river would not be polluted further. People could use the existing Vedasandur highway for other purposes.

Sources in Department of Highways said a recent survey conducted by a private agency between Vedasandur and Dindigul had identified land very close to the banks of Kudaganar river, which was in spate during the last week, for expansion of NH-47. (76,800 cusecs of water had been flowing in the river and the entire highway, 100-feet away from river near Vedasandur, was flooded with overflowing river water. Traffic was completely paralysed in this stretch).

Land stretches identified between Athupatti village and Vedasandur is very close to the banks. Three rivers - Sandhanavarthini river, Kudaganar and Varattaru - confluence near Athupatti village.

Instead of taking equal expansion on both sides of existing road, villagers said the entire expansion was completely pushed towards riverside near Athupatti. At this point, the proposed road is taken `Z' shaped deviation that would certainly hinder quick mobility and smooth flow of traffic, the local people said.

Environmentalists pointed that already High Court issued a direction that no construction activities should be taken within one km from riverbank. Pollution would be increased, if the highway was close to river as drivers might clean vehicles in the river. Already, a semi-circle deviation from Vedasandur in order to avoid dislocation of many shops and establishments at Vedasandur junction was accepted.

Similar, deviation was also admitted in Ambathurai also, keeping in mind the interest of the people. They appealed to the Central Government that laying of new road few km away from Vedasandur town and wayside villages would avoid flood damage to new road in future.

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