The Hindu 16.12.2011
Infrastructure projects to get greater impetus
To ease congestion: The Coimbatore Corporation’s parking area at
Cross-Cut Road is one of the locations identified for multi-tier parking
lot. — File Photo: M. Periasamy
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.