COIMBATORE: The State Highways (SH) Department has sought to withdraw the nod to allocate Rs 24 crore for the construction of two additional arms for the flyover at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore city. The move has angered the members of the road safety panel in Coimbatore district.
The Highways Department cited the upcoming Metro Rail project while sending a proposal to the Tamil Nadu government to rescind the sanction. It also stated the road belongs to the National Highways Authority of India.
The two-level flyover at Gandhipuram was constructed at a cost of Rs 148 crore at a busy commercial area. As soon as its first level was opened for traffic on November 1, 2017, a large number of people pointed to design flaws that prevented most vehicles from using it.
Subsequently, the public demanded building of down ramps from the flyover. The district collector recommended a proposal to the government seeking approval for down ramps for optimum utilisation of the flyover.
Considering the importance and necessity, the government approved the proposal and suggested two ramps from the first level of the flyover. The alignment committee recommended two ‘additional arms’: one towards Bharathiyar road-Town bus stand and another arm from the GP Signal Junction towards the 100 feet road.
A DPR was prepared and presented to the Technical Audit Committee (TAC) on May 9, 2019. Based on TAC recommendations, the government accorded Administrative Sanction for Rs 23.92 crore for the two additional arms. However, a few SH Department officials had sent a letter to the government proposing to reject the sanction for 2 arms without the district road safety committee’s approval and knowledge. The latter stated the upcoming Metro Rail project is on the route and the road belongs to the NHAI as reasons for its proposal.
Speaking to TNIE, K Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and member of the Coimbatore Road Safety Panel, said, “I regret to point out that one or two highways officials who are not bothered about the interest of the people at all, decide the fate of infrastructure of Coimbatore. The SH officials had sent the proposal without obtaining the necessary approval or knowledge of the road safety committee and the district collector. The proposal was sent about a year ago and the matter came to light recently through RTI query.”
Kathirmathiyon pointed out that Metro is unlikely in the near future. Further, Gandhipuram has a second-level flyover and two additional arms are proposed only for the first-level flyover. When metro rail comes up, what is suggested for the second-level flyover could very well take care of the first-level flyover with arms.
“We strongly condemn the attitude of a few such officials and request the government to arrange to construct the two down ramps at Gandhipuram flyover immediately in the interest of the public so that the flyover could be utilized by a large number of people.
Further other such proposals submitted for deletion by these officials, should not be accepted by the government and need to proceed, in the interest of the public,” he added.
A senior official of the SH department told TNIE that he was not aware of the matter and would conduct an inquiry. “Maybe, the previous officials would have sent it and we are not aware of it. We shall check the status of the two ramps and will decide on starting the works soon,” he added.