The Hindu 06.01.2014
Corpn. gets ready for Phase II of storm water drain project
After completing the first phase of the storm water
drain project, the Coimbatore Corporation wing executing projects under
the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has started taking
steps to start the second phase.
According to sources
in the civic body, the JNNURM wing had almost completed the first phase
of the project. It constructed drains for only 31.12 km to take the
storm water to the nearest natural drain and provide linkages at 13
places for the purpose.
The wing would complete this work by January 15.
First phase
The
Corporation had started the first phase of the project sometime in
2008. After initial delays and protests from the residents, the
Corporation was able to force the contractors to increase the pace of
constructing the drains. The first phase of the project covered portions
of the city area — the 60 wards and involved constructing drains for
737 km at a cost of Rs. 180 crore.
The Government of
India had financed the project in part. The State Government had
contributed 20 per cent of the cost and the Corporation spent the rest —
30 per cent.
Under the second phase, the civic body would construct drains measuring a distance of 1,563 km at a cost of Rs. 800 crore.
Resolution
The
proposal to the Central Government was based on a resolution the
Corporation Council had passed sometime ago, the sources said.
The
Corporation had also sent a proposal to the Government for Rs. 490
crore to clean and improve the five natural drains that run through the
city.
The sources said that the Corporation would
remove silt from Sanganoor, Karupparayan, Vilankurichi, Singanallur and
Ganapathy drains, provide concrete embankments and also flooring with
facility for water percolation, remove encroachments and construct roads
on both sides of the Sanganoor drain.
The roads
would link Trichy Road with Avanashi Road, Sathyamangalam Road and
Mettupalayam Road, providing a short cut to motorists.
The sources added that the Corporation would start the project once the Government granted the funds.