The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finalised plans to widen the Dindigul-Kumily section of NH-183 into a four-lane road. This 133-km expansion, estimated to cost Rs 300 billion, aims to significantly reduce travel time between Theni and Kumily on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. This week, a tender was issued to prepare a detailed project report (DPR). The expansion will benefit truckers and regular commuters from Madurai, Trichy, and Karur, and will also shorten travel time to Thekkady, a key tourist destination in the region. Rajesh Kumar, a truck owner from Theni who operates on the TN-Kerala route daily, welcomed the news, saying, ?This expansion is long overdue. The current road condition causes significant delays and inconvenience. Reducing travel time will also make our journey safer.? An NHAI survey conducted ten years ago indicated that around 23,500 vehicles used this highway stretch daily, and this number has since tripled. ?The project is expected to generate local employment during construction and improve the local economy due to better infrastructure,? Rajesh added. NHAI had previously completed two-lane widening work with paved shoulders in 2020, nearly ten years after it started, due to a shortage of construction materials and legal issues. Consequently, this highway stretch currently witnesses a high accident rate, particularly at major junctions in towns such as Bodinayakanur. To mitigate such accidents, the new project will involve improvements at 26 junctions, with 16 being bypass start and end points. Vehicular underpasses will be constructed at Sempatti-Madurai-Palani Road, Bodinayakanur, and Uthamapalayam junctions due to heavy traffic, while bridges will be built at other junctions, according to a senior NHAI official. Additionally, 380 access/local village road junctions connecting villages to the main highway will be improved, and two toll plazas will be constructed. On the downside, around 9,000 trees might be felled for the project. NHAI officials stated that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) will be prepared, and discussions will be held with locals before implementation. (Source: ET)