TIRUCHY: Allaying fears that the Tiruchy corporation's metro plan could affect the elevated corridor project in the city, senior officials of the state highways and the corporation confirmed that it had no plans to drop the elevated corridor project, adding that they were essential to handle the city's rising traffic.
As per the state highway's plan, the elevated corridors would come up from Anna Statue to the railway junction (about 6 km), another one from Odathurai near the Cauvery to Mallachipuram (about 3 km) and the third one the head post office junction to the court roundabout (about 2 km).
Similarly, the metro plan tabled by the corporation in its meeting last month suggested three routes (Samayapuram to Vayalur, another from Thuvakudi to Panjappur line via the central bus stand and the third line from Tiruchy junction to Panjappur) covering about 68 km. Since both the routes are somewhat similar, residents have been feeling apprehensive.
"How will these two plans go together? Will the administration construct the metro line first and then move to the corridor project later or will they drop the corridor project due to the metro?" asked P Narayanasamy, a senior citizen and resident of KK Nagar. Several residents have the same doubt. Meanwhile, senior officials cleared the air.
"We have already finished the soil test for the elevated corridor project and our team is working on its plan. This project would not get cancelled due to the metro. But, we will have to make some changes in the alignment in a few places, for which there will be a joint meeting of our team with the metro's team," a senior official of the state highway's said.
Sources said that presently there was no clarity on when the meeting would be held. "This meeting would be between the state highways and the central government team, which would happen only after the centre clears the state government's plan for the metro project. If everything goes according to plan, the meeting may happen this year," a source said.