Corporation wants TNSTC to shift Ukkadam bus stand and depot

Transport corporation says it needed the place to take up development of Valangulam

The civic body has suggested to the TNSTC to relocate the depot near its Ukkadam sewage to develop Valangulam.

The Coimbatore Corporation has written to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) to shift the Ukkadam bus stand and the depot next to it.

The Corporation wrote the letter more than 20 days ago to the TNSTC saying it needed the place to take up development of Valangulam, one of the eight lakes proposed for development under the Smart Cities Mission.

The bus stand and depot occupy the south-western corner of the Valangulam and very close to the canal that is an inlet, carrying surplus water from the Ukkadam Big Tank.

The officials said Ukkadam bus stand is right at the Ukkadam junction and the depot nearby sees bus only at night. If the Corporation were to develop the eight lakes and the area around those, it would need to improve the Ukkadam junction, for which the possession of the bus stand and depot become a prerequisite.

As an alternative, the officials said the Corporation had suggested to the TNSTC to relocate the depot near its Ukkadam sewage farm and the bus stand on its premises in the farm, closer to the Ukkadam Bypass Road.

Though the Corporation sent the letter 20 days ago, it was yet to get a response. The other asset that the Corporation had proposed to take up under the Smart Cities Mission is the Kurichi Tank.

The officials said that the civic body had written to the Public Works Department and also its senior officials in the Municipal Administration Department to take up the issue at higher level.

But the Public Works Department had objected to the Corporation’s move and said it would be unwilling to let go of the Tank.

As part of the Corporation’s lake development project, the consultant engaged to prepare the detailed project report, had suggested setting up a lake development and management authority, which would also have control over the inlet and outlet channels to the eight tanks.

Currently, the Public Works Department has the control over the channels and the Corporation over the tanks. The consultant, who made a presentation at the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Wednesday said unless an over riding body was created, it would be very difficult to manage the tanks because the channels and tanks were part of a system and both needed to be managed together.

The Corporation officials said once the consultant submitted the final report, the Corporation would consider the proposal.