COIMBATORE: The Madras High Court ordered the Special Projects wing of the State Highways department officials (Coimbatore division) to demolish two pillars built for the ramps of the Avinashi Road elevated flyover project. The move comes after a landowner alleged that the construction of the pillars appears to favour a private star hotel on Avinashi Road.
Meanwhile, the highways department has filed an appeal against the order.
Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy observed that the pillars, originally spaced 30 metres apart, had been repositioned without structural justification. The judge ordered the demolition of the relocated pillars and reconstruction at the originally-sanctioned spots, citing risk to the structural integrity of the flyover. He also imposed a personal fine of Rs 1,000 each on two senior highways engineers, and directed that the relocated pillars be marked with the Tamil Nadu Government's motto "Vaaimaiye Vellum" (Truth Alone Triumphs), and be known as the "Pillars of Truth."
The 10.1 km-long, Rs 1,621.3 crore flyover project, connecting Uppilipalayam and Goldwins, is one of Tamil Nadu's largest infrastructure undertakings. Originally, the project included five pedestrian subways at high-traffic points to ensure safe crossings under the flyover, as well as service roads to maintain access to properties alongside the corridor.
Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and a member of the Coimbatore District Road Safety Committee filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the highways department for omitting key pedestrian infrastructure and a service road in the ongoing Avinashi Road elevated flyover project. The PIL, filed before the Madras High Court, flags the silent removal of five approved pedestrian subways and the dropping of a service road near a private hotel, both of which were part of the original sanctioned plans.
"More than 238 pedestrians have died in Coimbatore city over the past two and a half years. Pedestrian safety is being deliberately overlooked. When we flagged the issue earlier, then Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati called a special meeting with the police commissioner and corporation commissioner, and clearly directed the highways officials not to drop the pedestrian crossings. But those instructions were ignored," said Kathirmathiyon.
He also alleged that the removal of a service road near a private hotel on Avinashi Road appeared to benefit the private party while affecting public access. "The plan was altered without public consultation, without transparency, and clearly in favour of vested interests," he said.
The PIL sought court intervention to reinstate the pedestrian crossing structures and reconsider the dropped service road.
The court, hearing a separate petition filed by a local resident, Kavitha, came down heavily on the highways officials for relocating two flyover pillars — 265A and 266A — in a manner that allegedly blocked access to her property while favouring the hotel.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior highways official said, "The judgment regarding the pillars came several months ago, and we have filed an appeal against it through the state government's advocate general. The service road near the private star hotel has not been dropped. We have not started its work due to the pending case."
Regarding the PIL, the official added that the FOB for pedestrian crossings were dropped owing to the upcoming metro rail project works, and the CMRL would demolish them anyway inflicting a huge loss.