The Times of India 16.03.2013
Civic body wakes up to traffic bottlenecks
COIMBATORE: To ensure
smooth flow of traffic on city roads, the city corporation has proposed
the formation and development of 11 scheme roads in the budget. A
majority of these scheme roads have been long pending with the
corporation waiting for the completion of various technical and
procedural formalities. Some of these, hopefully, will become a priority
for the corporation now.
The corporation has allocated Rs 2 crore for laying 16.8 kms of scheme roads. It is now waiting for financial assistance amounting to Rs 124 crore from the local planning authority (LPA) to carry out the work.
In last year's budget, the city corporation had identified over 170 scheme roads in the five zones. Civic officials had then said the scheme road linking Thadagam to Perur will be developed first and the remaining roads later with LPA funds. However, there was no action thereafter. The Thadagam-Perur scheme road features in the 2013-14 budget announcements as well.
"The original number of scheme roads, in the corporation limits, will be more than 170 but we have identified the roads that need to be developed to solve traffic problems in the city. Out of these identified roads, we will first work on the roads that need to be developed immediately," said a senior corporation official.
The latest budget includes the following roads as per the development plan: Perur-Thadagam Road, Selvapuram Housing Unit Road, Thadagam-Ponniahrajapuram-Chokkampudur Link Road, extension of Masakaalipalayam, Singanallur-Vellalore Road and also extending Kamarajar Road to Neelikonampalayam bus stand. Traffic improvements are also planned near Avinashi Road-Airport Road junction and Thanneer Pandal 'S' bend extension to facilitate better traffic movement.
"The extension of Kamarajar Road to Neelikonampalayam Road will be of great help to public as heavy vehicles like buses cannot move on this stretch near Varadharajapuram. More than 40,000 people will directly benefit from the scheme," said K Rajendran, MDMK councillor.
According to C Asokan, a resident of Masakaalipalayam Road, the widening and extension of the route has been a long standing demand of residents. A portion of the road, which begins from Avinashi Road near Hopes College, has more than 50-feet space but due to the presence of roadside buildings, the road width tapers down making it difficult for the motorists and pedestrians.
"The road needs to be widened and streetlights have to be installed at certain portions. They have installed lights and median wherever there is space, but it is needed in the entire stretch," said Kamal Balu, another resident of Masakaalipalayam.
According to R Marappan, ward councillor, the proposal for Masakaalipalayam Road extension must be taken up at the earliest along with extending Kamarajar Road. The proposed Singanallur to Vellalore scheme road along the Singanallur lake will also absorb commuters proceeding to Vellalore on Trichy Road.
What could delay corporation's plan is land acquisition and clearance from various existing legal tangles. The civic body has to pay more than Rs 14.3 crore for acquiring 9,597 square metre of land to develop a 0.582 km road with an estimated cost of Rs 65 lakh.
The corporation has allocated Rs 2 crore for laying 16.8 kms of scheme roads. It is now waiting for financial assistance amounting to Rs 124 crore from the local planning authority (LPA) to carry out the work.
In last year's budget, the city corporation had identified over 170 scheme roads in the five zones. Civic officials had then said the scheme road linking Thadagam to Perur will be developed first and the remaining roads later with LPA funds. However, there was no action thereafter. The Thadagam-Perur scheme road features in the 2013-14 budget announcements as well.
"The original number of scheme roads, in the corporation limits, will be more than 170 but we have identified the roads that need to be developed to solve traffic problems in the city. Out of these identified roads, we will first work on the roads that need to be developed immediately," said a senior corporation official.
The latest budget includes the following roads as per the development plan: Perur-Thadagam Road, Selvapuram Housing Unit Road, Thadagam-Ponniahrajapuram-Chokkampudur Link Road, extension of Masakaalipalayam, Singanallur-Vellalore Road and also extending Kamarajar Road to Neelikonampalayam bus stand. Traffic improvements are also planned near Avinashi Road-Airport Road junction and Thanneer Pandal 'S' bend extension to facilitate better traffic movement.
"The extension of Kamarajar Road to Neelikonampalayam Road will be of great help to public as heavy vehicles like buses cannot move on this stretch near Varadharajapuram. More than 40,000 people will directly benefit from the scheme," said K Rajendran, MDMK councillor.
According to C Asokan, a resident of Masakaalipalayam Road, the widening and extension of the route has been a long standing demand of residents. A portion of the road, which begins from Avinashi Road near Hopes College, has more than 50-feet space but due to the presence of roadside buildings, the road width tapers down making it difficult for the motorists and pedestrians.
"The road needs to be widened and streetlights have to be installed at certain portions. They have installed lights and median wherever there is space, but it is needed in the entire stretch," said Kamal Balu, another resident of Masakaalipalayam.
According to R Marappan, ward councillor, the proposal for Masakaalipalayam Road extension must be taken up at the earliest along with extending Kamarajar Road. The proposed Singanallur to Vellalore scheme road along the Singanallur lake will also absorb commuters proceeding to Vellalore on Trichy Road.
What could delay corporation's plan is land acquisition and clearance from various existing legal tangles. The civic body has to pay more than Rs 14.3 crore for acquiring 9,597 square metre of land to develop a 0.582 km road with an estimated cost of Rs 65 lakh.
