MSMEs at industrial estate in Coimbatore hope for early solution to infrastructure needs

About 500 MSMEs at the SIDCO Industrial Estate in Kurichi are hoping for early measures to fulfil their infrastructure demands at the estate.

The estate, spread over 100 acres, is one of the earliest industrial estates in the district and houses more than 500 Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) that employ over 10,000 workers.

The existing roads at the industrial complex were laid more than 15 years ago under the Namakku Namme scheme. Now, the roads are damaged and full of pits. With high movement of heavy vehicles to and from the industries, transporting raw materials and finished industrial goods, the roads are in a poor condition.

“This is the plight of the roads for a very long time now. The estate has just about five km of road and it needs to be re-laid,” said an MSME owner.

Drinking water connection to the MSMEs at the estate were disconnected when the Coimbatore-Pollachi road was redone. “We were told that the estate will get drinking water under the third drinking water scheme,” said C. Natarajan, president of the Coimbatore SIDCO Industrial Estate Manufacturers Welfare Association.

Infrastructure maintenance at the estate is by SIDCO and not by the Coimbatore Corporation. The SIDCO has paid the required amount to the Corporation to provide drinking water supply and underground drainage scheme at the estate. All other areas in Kurichi have the UGD. “We submitted our demands to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin when he visited the estate recently. We hope the Corporation will provide the water supply and the UGD pipelines soon,” he said.

The road can be re-laid only after the UGD works are completed. The SIDCO has prepared a proposal for that too and the details will be finalised soon, he said.

There are also plans to supply treated water from the sewage treatment plants for industrial use to the MSMEs at the estate. Talks are on with the departments concerned, Mr. Natarajan said.

Published - December 17, 2024 09:20 pm IST