COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has awarded the tender for establishing four NMT (Non-Motorised Transport) corridors in the city and work is expected to begin soon.
The CCMC decided to set up an NMT corridor in the wake of rising accidents caused by motorised vehicles and to make roads pedestrian-friendly. The civic body, along with a German agency, announced the initiative in 2019 to be carried out under the Smart City Projects mission. After conducting trial runs multiple times at several locations in the city over the past few years, the CCMC has finalised 4 routes for establishing the NMT corridor.
Sources in the Smart City Projects mission said Raja Street, Big Bazaar Street, Cross-Cut Road and the Nanjappa Road have been selected for the NMT project. The routes have been selected based on the pedestrian movement, traffic volume and the need for a bicycle path. The NMT corridor will be a pedestrian plaza where people can traverse easily on foot or on a bicycle.
CCMC Deputy Commissioner Dr M Sharmila said the NMT corridor project will be carried out at an estimated cost of `7.5 crore. "The tender has been awarded and works will start in the next few weeks. A few of the design concepts are in the finalising stages. Once started, the project will be finished in around 120 to 150 days (4 to 5 months) and opened for public use" she added.
In order to ease pedestrian movement and prevent other vehicles from entering the NMT corridor, the CCMC will install bollards, signboards, and reflectors and paint the pathway with necessary markings to make it stand out from the road. Also, the CCMC will be asking all other departments to complete the water pipeline installation and other UGD works before starting the NMT project in order to avoid digging the roads, said the sources.
BOX:
S.No | NMT Routes
01 | Big Bazaar Street - From Koniyamman Temple in Town Hall to Athar Jamaath Masjid in the Oppanakara Street junction
02 | Raja Street - Five corner junction to St.Michael's School
03 | Gandhipuram - Nanjappa Road junction to Lakshmi Complex
04 | Cross-Cut Road - Lakshmi Complex junction to Power House Junction