For more than two years now, one of the main road links between the core areas of the city and Ganapathy remains congested and chaotic.
According to highways officials, plans to construct two road over bridges (ROB), near Textool (an industrial unit), remains incomplete with just one two-lane bridge constructed.
There does not seem to be any immediate plan to construct the second bridge. A consultant is preparing a detailed project report on widening NH 209 (the bridges are part of NH 209) for the National Highways Authority of India.
Meanwhile, the State Highways is in the process of revising the estimate and preparing a report to include the bridges as part of the proposed Gandhipuram flyover project.
Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, K. Kathirmathiyon, has said in a release that the railways constructed a two-lane ROB near Textool while doubling the railway line.
The old ROB was brought down and construction of another ROB was taken up by the National Highways.
Even as works commenced for the second project, the Union Government decided to execute all improvement works under public-private partnership mode.
The funds sanctioned for the bridge were withdrawn. These bridges might not be covered under the public-private partnership mode as the National Highways proposed a bypass connecting Pollachi Road and Saravanampatti.
Now, vehicles were using the only two-lane ROB on the road and pedestrians were finding it almost impossible to use the road.
The works would resume only if the State Government took up the project.
The Government should allocate funds for the works and Highways department should take up the works.
“Intervention of the State Government is absolutely necessary to safeguard the interest of the public,” he said.
