Traffic congestion on Palakkad Road worsening as Madukkarai-Marappalam railway underpass expansion work delayed over one year. Palakkad Railway Division completed nearly 50% of railway portion. State highways department road expansion facing setbacks due to land acquisition and tender process.

Project began May 2025, aims to replace narrow British-era structure with modern facility. Involves dismantling old bridge, installing new rectangular precast RCC box for railway track, widening road for approximately 750 metres including 89 metres within underpass.

Design: four-lane main carriageway 16.2 metres, 5.5 metre service roads on both sides, 1.5 metre footpaths and drainage.

Tender for road works called off; scrutiny of 14 bidders under way. Tender evaluation to complete within 30 days. Once awarded, work will take around 18 months.

Department plans to acquire 4,300 square metres of land for service roads and drainage. Notification under Section 15(2) Tamil Nadu Highways Act to be issued after negotiation with landowners.

Light vehicles and buses diverted via Quarry Office Road, Kurumbapalayam Road and Madukkarai Market Road to Chettipalayam. Heavy vehicles advised to take Athupalam-Kurichi-Eachanari route to reach Salem-Kochi highway. Diversions causing severe peak-hour congestion with Kerala-bound vehicles waiting in long queues, with reports of one-hour waits at Madukkarai Market during peak hours.

Traffic diversions came into effect to facilitate expansion of Marappalam railway underpass at Madukkarai from one lane to four lanes.

Coimbatore to Palakkad (town buses and light motor vehicles): Left turn at Madukkarai junction via Quarry Office road, Kurumbapalayam road, Madukkarai market road to Chettipalayam junction.

Palakkad to Coimbatore (town buses and light motor vehicles): Right turn at Chettipalayam junction via Virakukadai Palam and ACC cement factory road.

City to Palakkad (trucks and heavy vehicles): Via Athupalam junction, Kurichi and Eachanari road to Salem–Kochi highway. Reverse direction uses same route.

Schools and college buses from Athupalam and Sundarapuram junctions towards Palakkad road: Via Kurichi–Kannamanaickanur road, then left turn to Salem–Kochi highway. Same route from Palakkad Road to city.

SETC, TNSTC and KSRTC buses Coimbatore to Palakkad: Via Kurichi–Kannamanaickanur road, Madukkarai Market road and Chettipalayam junction to Salem-Kochi highway. Reverse direction uses same route.

State Highways Department officials submitted proposal for Administrative Sanction to widen Palakkad Main Road near Marappalam railway bridge at cost of Rs 102.5 crore. Existing single-lane road will be widened to four lanes (16.2 m wide) over 800 m distance. Marappalam bridge, built during British rule, has narrow tunnel-like structure allowing only one-way traffic, causing delays.

Project includes:

• Land acquisition on both sides
• Four-lane road 16.2 m wide: 7.5 m carriageway each side, 1.2 m centre median
• 5.5 m wide service roads on both sides of railway bridge
• Stormwater drainage system
• 82.7 m long, 21.9 m wide concrete box tunnel constructed by Palakkad Railway Division where road intersects railway track

DPR currently being prepared. State government announced project during budget session. Once Administrative Sanction approved, work to begin with completion targeted within one year. Alternate routes identified for traffic diversion during construction: from Coimbatore to Kerala via Quarry Office Road, Kurumbapalayam Road, Madukkarai Market Road, Chettipalayam Road; return traffic via Chettipalayam Pirivu, Viragukadai Bridge, ACC Cement Factory Road. Heavy vehicles diverted on L&T Bypass road.

The Marappalam Road underbridge at Madukkarai on Coimbatore-Palakkad main road is set to be widened into a four-lane to improve traffic flow on the busy interstate route.