Marappalam Rail Subway Widening Project set to Begin Soon

The Marappalam underpass, originally a wooden railway bridge, is located approximately two kilometers from the Kochi-Salem National Highway. It serves as the only convenient access road connecting Kerala and Coimbatore without toll plazas up to the state border.

The existing two-lane underpass, constructed during the British era, was later renovated and reduced to a single-lane subway. Currently, it accommodates only one heavy vehicle alongside a bike, causing traffic bottlenecks and long queues on both sides.

In response to public demand, the Coimbatore district administration has initiated the widening project. Explaining the plan, Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati informed *The New Indian Express* that the Marappalam Road Under Bridge (RUB) is set to be dismantled and reconstructed as a four-lane carriageway. The new structure will feature a railway box with a length of 82.70 meters and a width of 21.90 meters.

He further mentioned that the approved General Arrangement Drawing (GAD), incorporating all required modifications, had been received from the Chief Bridge Engineer of Southern Railways in Chennai on December 31, 2024. Subsequently, a request to divert traffic was submitted to the Palakkad Railway Division on January 6, 2025. Additionally, the Land Planning Schedule (LPS) for land acquisition is being prepared and will be sent to the government for approval.

Meanwhile, local residents have appealed to the district administration to renovate a nearby abandoned underpass, suggesting it could be utilized for light vehicles to further alleviate traffic congestion.