COIMBATORE: All illegal buildings that are built without a setback area on the Mettupalayam Road will be demolished to facilitate the Saibaba Colony flyover project work, revealed the State National Highways wing.
The Saibaba Colony Junction connects the Sivananda Colony Road in the East and the NSR Road in the West with the Mettupalayam (MTP) Road. Owing to the presence of several commercial stores and public gathering places the Nagapatinam-Coimbatore-Gundlupete National Highways (NH 181), popularly called the Mettupalayam Road, remains busy throughout the day.
Considering the amount of vehicle movement and traffic congestion at the junction, a flyover was proposed by the highways department. The proposal was given a nod by the government and a fund of `71 crore was sanctioned for the flyover project. The flyover is set to be constructed for a length of 1.2 km with 4 lanes, starting from Alagesan Road and ending at the MTP Road Bus Terminus near the Eru Company on Mettupalayam Road.
The highways department began the preliminary work for the flyover at the Saibaba Colony junction a few months ago. The work order was issued and soil testing works were carried out ahead of starting the construction work. However, the work could not start as the Lok Saba election was announced and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was implemented across the country.
The highways department officials are planning to begin the main works for the flyover next week. In view of this, the officials have identified a few
buildings that need to be razed down. However, the officials are not planning to carry out any land acquisition (LA) for the project.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior of the highways department said that a couple of commercial stores have built buildings without leaving enough setback area on the Mettupalayam Road and they are set to be taken out for the ramp works of the flyover.
"Some miscreants and greedy individuals have built buildings to the edge of the road, without leaving any setback area. So as per norms, we shall demolish up to 10 feet of the buildings from the edge of the road in order to build the approach roads and ramps for the flyover. Currently, only around 5 m of space is available for the ramp near the fuel station for the approach road. We shall take down the illegal structures built till the edge of the road and by that way, there will be no necessity for LA," added the official.