The Times of India                18.05.2013

Corporation to start work on skywalk in front of CMCH soon

COIMBATORE: The city municipal corporation will soon start work on the proposed foot over-bridge fitted with elevator facility in front of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital campus in the city. The civic body has been planning to construct the modernised foot over-bridge which is being officially called a skywalk after considering the volume of traffic and pedestrian movement.

"We will soon float tenders and start work on the skywalk project in front of the government hospital," said G Latha, Commissioner, Coimbatore Municipal Corporation. The design for the skywalk has been finalized by the state government based on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by the corporation. The project report was prepared by Bangalore based Wilbur Smith Associates Pvt Ltd.

"One of the landings of the skywalk will be inside the hospital compound to ensure safety of patients when getting to the hospital," said S Sivarasu, Deputy Commissioner, Coimbatore corporation.

As many as 10,000 people visit the hospital for treatment including more than 5,000 who are treated as in-patients at the medical facility. There will be two elevators fitted at each of the landing bays on either sides of the structure. The total estimated cost of the project is being calculated at just over Rs75lakh. The corporation had earlier proposed skywalks at Gandhipuram, Singanallur and Ramanathapuram junctions. But now it will focus on completing the skywalk in front of the hospital before it takes up the other projects, said an official source.