COIMBATORE: Citing traffic congestion, opposition floor leader of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and AIADMK representative, Prabhakaran, has urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to take immediate steps to construct long-pending ramps of the Gandhipuram flyover.
In a detailed letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Prabhakaran stated: "Completing these ramps will significantly ease traffic snarls in the heart of Coimbatore and benefit thousands of daily commuters".
Prabhakaran pointed out that traffic congestion in the core areas of 100 Feet Road, Sathy Road and Nanjappa Road has worsened.
Prabhakaran highlighted that the two-tier Gandhipuram flyover was constructed in 2017 during the AIADMK regime at a cost of Rs 148 crore.
Soon after its completion, residents, volunteers, and then Local Administration Minister S P Velumani had appealed to the government for additional ramps to allow vehicles to descend at Bharathiar Road and 100 Feet Road, easing traffic flow from Ganapathy Textool to Park Gate.
Following these appeals, a special committee was formed in 2019 to study the feasibility of the project. Based on its recommendations, the then-AIADMK government issued a Government Order (GO MS.19/HMP/30.09.2020), sanctioning Rs 23.92 cr and instructing the State Highways Department to begin construction. However, despite the allocation of funds, the project has remained on hold for the past five years.
Accusing the State Highways Department of showing reluctance to start the project, he urged the government to revive the scheme "on a war-footing".
He dismissed claims that metro rail surveys were delaying the project, stressing that the construction of ramps had no conflict with metro development works.