Concrete slabs (deck slabs) are coming up over the pillars for the road over bridge (ROB) across the Nanjundapuram railway level crossing in the city.
The Rs. 12.6 crore project that started more than a year ago was expected to be completed by August 2011. However, it now has six months extension period.
Deck slab work is progressing. Work started 15 months ago and was scheduled to be completed in 18 months. Now, the project has six months extension period, says a State Highways official.
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The project cost includes the over bridge, service lanes and roads.
Works are on now for the two-lane bridge at a cost of Rs. 7 crore. For the other works, land acquisition is needed and this is also going on, the official adds.
Meanwhile, a diversion road has been laid at a cost of about Rs. 30 lakh for those who want to use the Nanjundapuram road.
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The project, when completed, will ease traffic congestion on Tiruchi Road, Town Hall, Ukkadam and Aathupalam areas.
The total length of the flyover is 693 metres and the railway portion is 38 metres.
The width of the bridge is 8.5 metres and the flyover will have 27 pillars.
According to a resident on Nanjundapuram Road, the diversion road is a temporary one and was laid recently.
It needs improvement. With rains, the road condition is likely to worsen, causing hardships to the road users.
Those who do not want to use the Nanjundapuram Road now can reach the city from Podanur through Ukkadam. However, this is a longer route.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, says the diversion road should be strengthened so that it can be used till the ROB work is fully completed.
Now, there is no accountability for delays in executing road and flyover projects.
All the possible reasons for delay are known to the officials when they fix the schedule for a project.
The proposal should have specific schedule for each phase of the work.
This should be relaxed up to 10 per cent.
Since the public are hit when the project execution is delayed, there should be norms to ensure projects are executed on time.