Coimbatore needs more flyovers: consumer body

The Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) has appealed to the Chief Minister to consider allocation of funds and sanctioning of a few more flyovers in the city to avert congestion and ease traffic.

In a memorandum, Secretary of CCC K. Kathirmathiyon pointed out that the Chief Minister was kind enough to announce the construction of a flyover at Rs.100 crore at Gandhipuram.

Instead of a mere flyover, it would be extremely useful if there was no intersection of vehicles at the Dr. Nanjappa Road-Sathyamangalam Road junction. 

The CCC also thanked the Chief Minister and the government for the sanction of Rs. 3 crore for widening a portion of Marudhamalai Road in the first phase.  He expressed confidence that the entire stretch would be widened in the next phase shortly.  

He pointed out that the government had sanctioned Rs.13 crore towards the approach roadwork even on the National Highways at Eachani. The Central Government had abruptly stopped the work due to change in policy. The people heaved a sigh of relief only when the State Government came forward to complete the bridgework.  

Though the Highways Department considered the construction of a few more flyovers in the city, it was dropped as there was a proposal to construct them by the Municipal Corporation through Jawarhalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme. After so many years, it was now understood that it might not be possible to construct those flyovers under the JNNURM scheme as it was purely a Highways work.

Even the margin money required was huge which the local body was not in a position to meet. 

Hence, Mr.Kathirmathiyon urged the Chief Minister to kindly look into the matter so that the State Highways Department could re-start the work on the proposal to construct the flyovers.

The CCC pointed out that the Lakshmi Mills junction and GRG School Junction on Avinashi Road and Pankaja Mill Road – Nanjundapuram Road Junction at Ramanathapuram on Tiruchy Road and the Lawley Road Junction at Thadagam road required flyovers to ease traffic congestion.