Development works across the city and World Classical Tamil Conference related-works in and around the CODISSIA trade fair complex are progressing as per or even ahead of schedule and will be completed well before the conference, said Chief Secretary K.S. Sripathi here on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters after inspecting the works, he said, “I am not able to see any sluggish pace or let down in efforts.”
The review meeting was attended by Special Officer for Tamil Conference K. Allaudin; Secretary to Government for Information Technology P.W.C. Davidar; Director of Information and Public Relations C. Kamaraj; Vice-Chancellors C. Swaminathan (Bharathiar University) and M. Rajendran (Tanjore Tamil University); Collector P. Umanath; Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra; Airport Director M.R. Vasudeva; District Revenue Officer S. Murthy; Officer on Special Duty for Conference S. Prabakaran; Commissioner of Police - Coimbatore City C. Sylendra Babu; and Inspector-General of Police - West Zone P. Sivanandi.
“Efforts are on to have the works relating to the Avanashi Road median and streetlights completed well ahead of mid-April; railway authorities have agreed to complete the Hope College railway bridge by April-end. Similarly, works relating to the airport are being expedited”, said Mr. Sripathi.
Asked whether the current pace of work would be adequate to have the infrastructure in place by June and whether there was any need for additional manpower or funds, Mr. Sripathi said the pace of works was being monitored and additional manpower or funds would be considered, depending upon the situation.
To a query on Southern Railway's plan for additional entry and exit subway at the Coimbatore Junction, Mr. Sripathi said there was a small hitch. Soon an amicable solution would be hammered out.
At the review meeting, he exhorted officials to concentrate on fire safety and effective traffic management. He also discussed the need for expediting the works relating to six sites identified for temporary bus stations for the benefit of people visiting Coimbatore for the Tamil conference.
He asked the airport authorities to expedite the works and expressed confidence that the approach road works would be completed soon. Officials informed Mr. Sripathi that tender formalities would be completed by the month-end with regard to widening and strengthening of Mettuppalayam Road.
He also visited the proposed scheme road/link road sites and the 40-odd acre vacant land in the prison compound identified for the first phase of the botanical garden.
