Urban News

The Hindu 02.12.2009

Corporation plans to improve arterial roads

Staff Reporter

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Corporation Council on Monday resolved to explore the possibility of improving arterial roads such as Avanashi Road, Tiruchi Road, Mettupalayam Road and Sathyamangalam Road to mark the World Classical Tamil Conference in June 2010.

A resolution to this effect was discussed at the meeting presided by Mayor R. Venkatachalam along with Deputy Mayor N. Karthik and Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra.

It was decided to seek the expression of interest from private players under the Public-Private Partnership basis to avoid financial burden on the civic body.

Water supply

The Council decided to request the State Government to give Rs. 7 crore to replace the existing 6.90-km length of Pilloor water supply mainline that supplies water to the North and East Zones of the Corporation. Frequent leaks in the line caused by pressure had resulted in erratic supply to the residents in these two zones. Hence, it was decided to replace the main pipeline from Sathyamangalam Road via Thaneer pandal road and Avanashi Road with ductile iron pipes.

The Council also approved a resolution for taking up additional works such as roofing, new place for cutting and cleaning the fish, parking places, flooring, electrical works, drinking water facilities and stair case construction at the modern fish market at Ukkadam at a cost of Rs. 75 lakh.

The Corporation passed four resolutions for procurement of baskets for degradable and bio-non degradable wastes for segregation at source for four zones as part of the Solid Waste Management programme at Rs. 1.49 crore. It also resolved to take up renovation works of the flower market at Rs. 98.43 lakh.

The Council resolved to take up the works of removing the 151 street light posts that were 10 years old and replace them with new ones with 250 watts sodium vapour lamps.

The Council also noted that works were being taken up as part of the ongoing works by the National Highways for widening Tiruchi Road into four lane from bypass road to Stock Exchange. The work involved realignment of the centre median.

The Council took up a resolution for renovating the drainage and replace the broken concrete slabs to make pavement available for pedestrians on Oppanakkara Street at Rs. 75 lakh.

It also discussed a resolution for fixing an acceptable nominal rent and to lease the proposed world class swimming pool to be constructed at Rs. 175 lakh on Dr.Nanjappa Road by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu.

It was decided to fix a reasonable rent and to lease the space in VOC Park to the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation for 20 years to run an aquarium.

The Hindu 29.11.2009

Roads to be upgraded to global standards

S. Sundar

MADURAI: Around 700 km of arterial and interior roads in the city will be upgraded to international standard so much so that they would be worthy of being maintained in motorable condition, without any need for re-laying, for five years.

The project will be executed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Project (TURIP) for which a private consultant has begun a survey of the roads.

Corporation Chief Engineer, K. Sakthivel, said the survey would cover testing of soil, design for roads in every part of the city.

“Since we have completed almost 90 per cent of the underground drainage works, the city has been chosen as a beneficiary under the Rs.1,000-crore scheme covering 12 urban local bodies,” he said.

A detailed project report was expected in six to nine months after which the work for laying roads would be taken up.

The work would be implemented by TURIP with a 50 per cent grant from the State Government. The remaining 50 per cent would be given to the local bodies as soft loan from Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUISFL).

The work envisages provision of storm water drainage, cable duct for telecom and other services so that the roads are not dug up. Road design in different parts of the city would be based on the nature and volume of traffic. “Streets of less than 10 to 12 feet width would have concrete roads,” Mr. Sakthivel said.

The underground drainage work for 72 km in uncovered areas would be expedited for early completion, the Chief Engineer said. Representatives of all related departments, like Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and telecom companies, have been asked to carry out their underground cable laying work meant for their expansion for the next five years before the road laying work begins. “Once the roads are laid no road cutting would be allowed. We have requested the State Government to bear the expenses of replacing the worn out drinking water pipelines, laid in 1980s, along with this project to prevent road cutting,” Mr. Sakthivel said.