Title - Chamber urges Govt to take up pending projects in Coimbatore

Infrastructure bottlenecks affecting the smooth flow of traffic in and around Coimbatore need the urgent attention of the State Government.Delays over land acquisition appear to be holding up work even in case of projects that have been approved, according to the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore.The association has also urged the State Government to finalise the Gandhipuram flyover project without underpass and take up the flyover work, the foundation for which was laid more than 2 years back. In a memorandum to Niranjan Mardi, Principal Secretary, Highways Department, Tamil Nadu, the Chamber President R. R. Balasundharam said the vehicle population in the city has been witnessing a phenomenal growth with about 5,000 new vehicles being registered every month. The city already has more than 9-lakh vehicles.He said there are nearly 17 level crossings in the city. But there are only 5 flyovers and 3 underpasses, leaving the 9 level crossings with gates, whose frequent closures, lead to traffic snarls. Though in some cases the construction of ROBs was approved, work could not commence due to delays/litigation over land acquisitions. Balasundharam mentioned that the work on the ROBs at Peelamedu on Thanneer Pandal Road and on SIHS Colony Road, between Irugur and Peelamedu Railway stations, and on Ganapathy-Avarampalayam Road and Singanallur-Vellalur Road, were being delayed due to land acquisition-related issues.

While proposal of a ROB on Rathinapuri Road between Peelamedu and Coimbatore North station was pending with Government, work on ROB on Nanjundapuram Road between Irugur and Podanur stations is progressing very slowly. The highways department was delaying the laying of the approach roads to the ROB near Eachanari on the Coimbatore-Pollachi Road.

The Government was also urged to take action for the formation of the by-pass road connecting Neelambur on Avinashi road with Narasimmanaickenpalayam on Mettupalayam Road, and the recently announced by-pass road connecting Madukkarai (on Coimbatore-Kochi NH) and Narasimmanaicken Palayam.

Balasundharam was accompanied by C. R. Swaminathan, Convenor of Chamber Infrastructure Committee, R. Raveendran and P. R. Natarajan, Coimbatore, MP, during the meeting with Niranjan Mardi.

Keywords: flow of traffic in and around Coimbato