The Hindu 18.02.2010
Corpn. all-party meeting discusses city expansion
Special Correspondent
| For 3 municipalities, over 25 town and village panchayats |
Photo: S. Siva Saravanan
DEVELOPMENT FOCUS: Mayor R. Venkatachalam (second left) makes a point on the proposal for expanding the city area and on development works for the World Classical Tamil Conference at an all-party meeting in the city on Tuesday. Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra (left) is in the picture. —
COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation has called upon its councillors to make suggestions on expanding the city area from the existing 105 sq.km. to nearly 450 sq.km.
Three municipalities and more than 25 town panchayats and village panchayats along the Corporation’s border would be added to the city if the expansion proposal was approved.
Mayor R. Venkatachalam said the suggestion was made at an all-party meeting held at the Corporation on Tuesday to discuss the proposal and also development works being taken up in view of the World Classical Tamil Conference to be held here in June.
Apart from the Mayor, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, Congress Floor Leader R.S. Thirumugam, Leader of the Opposition V.N. Udayakumar, leaders of parties in the Corporation Council and officials took part in the meeting.
Suggestions
“We have asked the parties to make suggestions on the areas that can be added to the Corporation. We can then send a proposal to the Government,” the Mayor said.
The meeting also discussed some of the Tamil conference-related development works being taken up with the Corporation funds.
The leaders of the parties wanted some more areas to be added in the list drawn up for road and drainage works.
A meeting of the city infrastructure development committee on Monday took stock of the development works that were being taken up in view of the conference.
The Mayor conducted the meeting as the Chairman of the committee.
District Revenue Officer and District-level Special Officer of the Conference S. Prabhakaran, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, and Deputy Commissioner of the Corporation V. Shanta were among those who took part in the meeting that discussed the allocation for and the status of works.
Totally, works for a total estimate of Rs.113 crore would be implemented.
The works included improvements to roads, laying of link or scheme roads, construction of parks and drainage, provision of drinking water supply and the installation of streetlights.
Of these, tenders had been called for 165 works of an outlay of Rs.38.98 crore and works were on in the case of 68 projects, estimated at Rs.17.22 crore.
Administrative sanction had been obtained for 60 works, costing Rs.3.46 crore.
Sanction had been got for installing 426 street lights at Rs.4.8 crore.
Out of all the listed works, some would be implemented with the State Government’s contribution of Rs.33.34 crore and with some others with the Corporation funds of Rs.25.24 crore.
The Department of Highways would carry out 76 road works. All these works were expected to be completed by the end of May.
The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board had completed four out of five water supply works.
The one to provide water supply at the conference venue – CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex – would be completed by the end of this month.
The Mayor called for all possible measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of water at the venue during the conference.
Parks
While works were on to improve the condition of the existing parks in the city, 50 per cent of the works on 47 new ones had been completed.
It was said at the meeting that 60 per cent of the works on storm water drains was completed and Rs.3.46 lakh had been allocated for mobile toilets at the venue and along the route of a conference-related procession.
