The Hindu 16.12.2011
Infrastructure projects to get greater impetus
Major infrastructure related projects for decongesting Coimbatore city through creation of multi-tier parking lots, sky walks to remove pedestrian crossing on busy roads and laying of link roads will get greater impetus and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) in respect of them will be prepared within the next to six months, officials said.
Earlier, Secretary to Government for Housing K. Phanindra Reddy, Director of Town and Country Planning A. Karthik, Managing Directors T.N. Hariharan (Tamil Nadu Housing Board) and V. Chandransekharan (Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board), Collector M. Karunagaran and Corporation Commissioner T.K. Ponnusamy took part in a meeting organised to review the plans for implementing the projects.
The meeting discussed the plans to have multi-level parking lots at four places in the city in a bid to decongest the city roads. The original plan was to have multi-level parking lots at four places namely Diwan Bahadur Road in R.S. Puram, Town Hall near Clock Tower, Ukkadam Junction and on Cross Cut Road in the old eighth street market area. Of the four places, the authorities have reportedly decided to go ahead with the proposal in terms of three places except the Town Hall, as the land is likely to be sought by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board for construction of tenements.
The multi-tier parking facility on DB Road and one more parking facility is likely to be automatic ones. Compared to the capacity of the parking space at present in these locations, the multi-tier parking lots would be in a position to accommodate at least five times more the number of cars and two-wheelers even by conservative estimates, officials said.
In addition, to ease congestion on road and prevent pedestrian crossing holding back the traffic, the authorities have also proposed construction of sky-walks i.e., foot over type bridges on Mettuppalayam Road near the new bus terminus, one near Ukkadam bus stand and another in front of the Coimbatore Railway Junction.
The multi-level parking lots and sky walks are being considered under the Infrastructure Funds from the Local Planning Authority. Officials also pointed out that the Jawarhalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) II funds will be utilised for improving, protecting and conserving the eight water bodies, which the Corporation recently took over from the Public Works Department.
The other infrastructure projects in the offing included construction of bus terminus at Vadavalli, Madukkarai and Perur Chettipalayam. Creation of truck terminus at Neelambur or Karumathampatti and shifting of Thyagi Kumaran Market to Mettupalayam Road are also on the cards. Government land should be identified at Neelambur or Karumathampatti for the truck terminus.
The local bodies were expected to prepare the DPR for these in three to six months and then the funding sources would be identified. Cleaning, desilting, strengthening of the bunds and beautification of Sanganur canal and measures to clean up and protect the Noyyal river course will also form part of the infrastructure-related projects that are being taken up now. Officials from Chennai have asked the local officials to prepare the proposals and sent it to them for taking up with the Government after examining them in detail in consultation with technical experts.
In addition, the authorities also discussed the proposals for laying more link/scheme roads to decongest the arterial roads. Roads to link Tiruchi Road with Avanashi Road, another connecting road to Nanjundapuram from Singanallur and from Sungam side were also discussed at the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Reddy inspected the housing unit tenements at Singanallur, Kavundampalayam and the upcoming ones at Ukkadam near the sewage farm under the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board scheme. The structural stability of the tenements at Singanallur and Kavundampalayam was also discussed besides exploring the suggestions and proposal for razing down the structures. Mr. Reddy also said that site identification for constructing 9,000 housing units was on.
Mr. Reddy and other TNHB officials also held enquiries with officials of the Coimbatore unit of the TNHB regarding charges of irregularities and corrupt deals in allotment of sites/houses. The officials were, later, enquired at the Circuit House as well, TNHB sources said.
