For every work that progresses at a rapid pace, there are other works that move at snail’s pace. Or so it appears from the Gandhipuram experience. While the flyover work is progressing fast, the move to shift out the temple, shopkeepers abutting the Coimbatore Central Prison compound and the town bus stand still remains on paper, as a proposal.
The temple remains where it is and so are the traders and bus stand.
Officials say that the Corporation is ready to move the temple but is waiting for a clearance from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The papers for the shifting the temple are with the HR&CE Commissioner and the nod is expected in the next few days.
As for shifting the town bus stand, the sources say the proposal is alive and that a few clearances are awaited. But, they concede that there is no deadline.
The same explanation is extended to the fate of the shops and traders.
The only certainty seems to be related to that of the Omni Bus Stand in Ganapathy. The move by the Corporation to have the bus stand relocated to Chinniampalayam has come to a naught as the land owner (Highways Department) has not agreed to the proposal.
Only a few days ago, Mayor P. Rajkumar, Collector Archana Patnaik, City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan and Corporation Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan visited the flyover construction site to see what needs to be done. A few days prior to that, Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan visited the site at Tatabad, proposed for shifting out the Nanjappa Road traders.
On Monday, the Mayor was supposed to chair a meeting of Tangedco and Highways Department officials. But that was subsequently called off as he was in Chennai.
