Development works for Tamil meet to be completed soon: Mayor

BEAUTIFICATION: Workers fixing tiles along a roadside park at V.O.C. Park Grounds in the city, as part of the works for the World Classical Tamil Conference.

All the infrastructure development works for the World Classical Tamil Conference, including the ones being implemented by the Coimbatore Corporation, will be completed by June 10, Chairman of the City Development Committee for the conference and Mayor of Coimbatore R. Venkatachalam said on Thursday.

“We have completed 75 per cent to 85 per cent of the works. Instructions have been given to complete the rest by June 10,” the Mayor said.

Focus

“The major focus is on completing the works on Avanashi Road and Tiruchi Road soon. We have to get Avanashi Road ready for the conference related procession on June 23. Owing to the procession, the entire traffic will be diverted through Tiruchi Road. So, both these thoroughfares will have to be ready by June 10,” the Mayor said.

The improvements to roadside parks and the creation of new ones along footpaths and the V.O.C. Grounds would be completed by June 5, the Mayor said.

While the Corporation was spending Rs.7.36 crore on improvements to existing parks and Rs.97.85 lakh on creating the ones along roads, those on the margins of the footpaths are being put up by private parties under the public-private partnership.

“Works are apace to install high-mast lamps at 19 places in the city at Rs.96.40 lakh.We have already installed new lamps on Avanashi Road and will complete soon the rest of the road and also the entire Mettupalayam Road within the city,” he said.

On whether Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin were upset during their recent visit over the pace of works, the Mayor said: “Words such as ‘bad' or ‘slow' were not used. They only wanted us to speed up the works further”.

The pace of construction of the bridge across Sanganur Canal at S.N.R. College and the works on the Rangavilas Mill Scheme Road was being stepped up, the Mayor said.

CM's advice

The Chief Minister was against huge cut-outs of his or of anyone else in the State Cabinet or the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam hampering traffic and pedestrian movement on the city's roads during the conference, the Mayor said.

Cut-outs of eminent Tamil litterateurs or historical personalities from the State could be put up well into the margin of the roads so that traffic was not hit.

“The Chief Minister told us that paintings on walls should depict only historical events in the State and trace various phases in Tamil literature. He did not want his name or those of others in the Ministry painted large on the walls in the city,” Mr. Venkatachalam said.