For all those who use Mettupalayam Road from Sai Baba Temple to Narasimhanaikenpalayam, the stretch was life-threatening in the past and the future does not promise a safe and smooth drive. At present, the cure is turning out to be worse than the disease.
When road widening works were taken up more than a year ago for 20 km from Stock Exchange to Narasimhanaikenpalayam at a cost of Rs. 49.7 crore, the users of Mettupalayam Road heaved a sigh of relief.
Widening the stretch from Sai Baba Temple junction to Narasimhanaikenpalayam (11.6 km) was one of their long-pending demands.
Fatal accidents were increasing with traffic, and a four-lane road was imperative to handle the heavy flow of vehicles.
About 840 trees were pulled down on either side of the road and for nearly 20 months, relaying and widening works are on for the 11.6 km stretch.
Yet, it remains incomplete with encroachments, yet-to-be-shifted utility lines, lack of median kerbs, pits, dug-up roads, water seepages, and untouched areas.
Works continue, though scheduled to have been completed by March this year. The agony of driving on Mettupalayam Road needs no verbal expression. It is obvious on the entire stretch.
Accidents
Two-wheeler riders and pedestrians pull out handkerchiefs to cover their faces as speeding vehicles raise dust clouds, several shops have lost business, vehicle damage is common – not to mention the accidents every day – and respiratory and allergy problems have affected many.
With the Northeast monsoon season fast approaching, the residents and those who need to drive on the road every day fear using it.
According to a police constable who stands on the road almost seven hours a day regulating traffic, the condition of the road is very bad now.
Vehicles wait till Saibaba Temple sometimes because of traffic snarls. Four-wheelers do not want to get into the pits or uneven stretches and hence, use the narrow portions where works are not going on.
Traffic flow is heavy almost through out the day and the situation will only worsen when the monsoon sets in. Heavy vehicles need to be diverted to an alternative road and works need to be expedited, he says.
T.R.V. Sundar, who resides at Thudiyalur, says his family members have had three accidents since the works started.
“I had a fight this morning with a bus driver. I usually pull up the window glass in my car while driving because of the dust. The contractor does not water the road every day. Hence, when buses speed on the road, blue metal fly and some hit the front glass in the car this morning. Buses and lorries should be diverted to another road,” he says.
Subramaniam, who has a rice shop at GN Mills, points out water seepage in front of his shop. The road was laid on a leaking water pipe. The quality of the work is poor and when rain starts, the road will be damaged again, he says.
Said to be more than 100 years old, the Mettupalayam Road was laid before Independence to enable a comfortable drive to Udhagamandalam.
A concrete road was laid on top of a layer of large-sized stones and blue metal. While it continues to be the main road for all tourists travelling to Udhagamandalam through Coimbatore, it has also emerged as a connecting road between Coimbatore city and its Northern suburbs.
Colonies
It has several residential colonies, educational institutions, hospitals, and large-scale industries on either side.
According to M. Devendran, secretary of Mettupalayam Road Protection Association, the road was widened for two feet on either side more than two decades ago. After that, only patch works were carried out.
When it was finally decided to widen and relay the road now, the encroachments should have been removed completely, bridges should have been widened and then the road works should have started. There was no proper planning.
The quality of the works on now is a matter of concern, he says. The works should be entrusted to another contractor, according to him.
Widening works are almost over for 5.2 km from the Stock Exchange. Since underground drainage works are going on in the city, the widening works are slightly delayed for 3.2 km from Flower Market to Sai Baba Temple, says an official of the Highways Department.
For the final stretch of 11.6 km, relaying and widening works have been taken up. The department has asked the contractor to complete the works by the end of December this year. Nearly 50 per cent works are over, the official says.
