Coimbatore Corporation to widen road, remove encroachments at Nava India

The Coimbatore Corporation’s plan to widen a 500-metre stretch of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, connecting the 100-ft Road flyover to Avinashi Road at Nava India Junction, is expected to provide relief to commuters struggling with heavy congestion.

The road will be widened by clearing encroachments alongside the Sanganoor Canal and removing high-tension electricity posts that narrow the space on the stretch.

K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, highlighted that the 1.7 km flyover on 100 Feet Road is heavily utilized, as it provides the shortest route from Gandhipuram to Avinashi Road by bypassing two major junctions. However, a longstanding issue persists at the bottleneck that occurs after the flyover ends. The District Road Safety Committee has discussed the necessity of relocating high-tension electricity posts that narrow the area.

Three years ago, as part of the Avinashi Road flyover project, funds were allocated for the installation of underground cables to eliminate these posts. The State Highways Department, under the supervision of TNEB, is currently executing the ₹15 crore project, which stretches nearly one kilometer from the end of the flyover to the Peelamedu substation.

In a recent road safety committee meeting, the issue was again raised, urging the Corporation to remove encroachments, including slum settlements. Citing that alternative arrangements for the people living in these settlements should be provided, the aim is to ensure smooth road expansion and facilitate the desilting of the Sanganoor Canal.

Following this, Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran stated that the work to clear encroachments will begin once the underground cable installation and removal of high-tension electricity posts are completed, which is expected within a month.

Published - December 15, 2024 08:40 pm IST