COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has allotted about Rs five crore for carrying out repair and patch work on damaged roads across the city in view of the monsoon season.
As per the CCMC records, there are a total of 18,902 streets in the 100 wards in the city. They comprise a 2837.68 km of roads, including 219.60 km of roads that are in the control of both National and State Highways. Due to various ongoing projects executed by the CCMC including drinking water pipeline installation, UGD works, gas pipeline installation, cable and wires installation, the majority of the roads are damaged. People and social activists from across the city demanded the CCMC officials and the newly elected councillors take immediate action in addressing the bad road issues.
In view of this, the CCMC released a WhatsApp number a few months ago for the public to file their grievances regarding bad roads with photos and GPS locations of the bad road. Till Friday, the CCMC had received more than 4,200 complaints.
A Bengaluru-based private company was roped in by the civic body to fill the potholes and carry out patchworks on the damaged roads. As the officials were not satisfied with the quality of the patchworks after reviewing the samples, the CCMC decided to stick with its usual method of fixing the roads. As the demand for fixing the roads ahead of the monsoon season grew louder, the CCMC has currently allotted about Rs 5 crores for fixing the bad roads.
"Our officials have been calculating the estimate to fix the roads. Earlier, about 4.12 crore fund was allotted for carrying out patchworks on the damaged roads. But now it has been revised to Rs 5 crore," said CCMC Deputy Commissioner Dr M Sharmila.
"With the works already begun, a few roads will be fixed by this Southwest monsoon season, and most of the roads will be ready before the Northeast monsoon season this year. The Coimbatore Corporation has sent a proposal to the CMA (Commissionerate of Municipal Administration) demanding about Rs 169 crore for development works that needed to be carried out across the city," she added.