COIMBATORE: After several motorists lodged complaints about the height of the speed breakers on Food Corporation of India (FCI) Road, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) obtained permission from the district administration and has started building ramps on both sides of the bumps to help smaller vehicles cross them easily.
Sources said the action was taken as FCI did not heed to requests made by motorists to remove the bumps. The 1.5 km FCI Road is a vital stretch that connects Sathyamangalam Road with Avinashi Road via Gandhimanagar. Motorists, especially two-wheeler riders, prefer it as it a short route. The alternative route - Vilankurichi Road is a long detour.
The CCMC had asked FCI to hand over the road to it for repair and maintenance. However, the FCI turned down the request and paved a new concrete road by themselves. Further, FCI tried to install two gates at both ends of the road allegedly to prevent other vehicles from using it. However, the attempt was foiled after the district collector and CCMC Commissioner’s intervention.
The FCI, however, built several huge speed bumps in the stretch, flouting Indian Roads Congress (IRC) regulations. They were designed so that only container-laden and heavy-load trucks could pass over them easily. Two-wheelers and four-wheelers faced a tough time negotiating the speed bumps. In view of this, demands grew louder to remove them, but FCI officials refused.
Now, CCMC has started constructing ramps on both sides of the speed breakers so that smaller vehicles can cross them easily.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “After obtaining permission from the district collector, we are setting up two ramps for each of the speed bumps on the FCI Road.
Slopes on either side of the bumps are being built so that all the vehicles will be able to cross them easily. The FCI officials were given prior intimation about this. Regarding the removal of the bumps completely, we need to conduct talks with FCI officials.”