The Coimbatore Corporation has begun repairs to the Somasundara Mill underpass in order to enable two-wheelers and three-wheelers to use this facility.
The underpass is a link between Kattoor and Brooke Bond Road.
Vehicles from areas around Kattoor and along Avanashi Road can take the underpass to reach R.S. Puram, Mill Road, Ukkadam and Sukrawarpet.
The City Police have already banned two-wheelers from using the Avanashi Road Flyover as part of measures to de-congest it.
Instead, these vehicles are being directed through the underpass below the flyover.
But, motorcyclists find a similar arrangement difficult to adhere to at the Somasundara Mill underpass because of the stagnation of sewage at this spot.
While the Corporation has managed to find temporary solutions to the stagnation of rain water at the underpasses at Lanka Corner and Sivananda Colony, the problem remains at the underpass near Kikani School (near Ramnagar) and the one near the Somasundara Mill.
While the underpass near Kikani School is cut off by flooding only during heavy rain, the one near the mill is plagued by sewage stagnation for most part of the year.
Sewage
“We are now trying to find out from where the sewage is coming, as there are quite a few sewer lines here. I have already done one inspection on Tuesday afternoon,” Mayor R. Venkatachalam said on Tuesday.
Explaining the repairs taken up, the Mayor said a fresh concrete surface would be provided to the underpass after detecting the sewage leak.
To avoid water stagnation during rain, drains would be constructed on either side of the roads leading to the underpass.
The rain water or any waste water flowing from the sides would go to a 10 ft deep chamber through the drains.
From there the water would be pumped to the underground drainage, he said.
“We want to finish the works by May 31, much ahead of the World Classical Tamil Conference, so that there is no traffic congestion in this area,” the Mayor said.
