A greenfield four-lane road project, which was initiated over five years ago, connecting Coimbatore and Sathyamangalam till Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border has gained momentum now.

According to officials of the State Highways Department, the project had not taken off as the State government had to constitute the land acquisition cell for the project. The Tamil Nadu government has approved formation of the land acquisition cell and the Coimbatore District Collector will soon appoint officials to it. The process is expected to be completed in a month.

The plan is to lay a new road for 96 km from Coimbatore to Sathyamangalam and it will have four lanes from Coimbatore to the foothills of Sathyamangalam and two lanes in the ghat section till Kakanallah border. The Central government has allocated ₹640 crore for acquisition of nearly 4,000 acres for this project. The estimate for developing the road will be prepared when the land acquisition nears completion. The Department will publish 3 (a) for the project now to initiate land acquisition, the officials said.

The detailed project report for this project was prepared almost five years ago and though land acquisition was notified, the project was transferred from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to the NH wing of the State Highways Department. There was a delay in formation of the unit for land acquisition and the 3 (a) published expired. The project is back on track now, sources said.

Farmers in Annur area, near Coimbatore city, who are opposing acquisition of their lands for the project said they will submit a petition to Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati on Monday and will continue protests against the project.

They have pointed out that while the works are on to widen the existing road to Sathyamangalam, there is no need for a new road.