COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) finished installing water pipelines under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme in the added areas of the corporation three years ago, but the damaged roads are yet to be restored or repaired.
According to sources, around 40 wards were added to the already existing core areas in the 60 wards of the city, when the boundaries of the CCMC were expanded over a decade ago. In order to provide water connections to the added areas of the CCMC, the pipeline installation work was taken up under the AMRUT scheme by the civic body, for which the roads were dug up. The majority of the dug-up roads fall under the North Zone.
Sources said that with the majority of the roads in the North zone of the city damaged due to the works, the civic body said that they won’t be taking up restoration works in the area any time soon as they have been earmarked for the new UGD project works likely to commence soon.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC commissioner M Prathap said, “The civic body has been taking up numerous road restoration works across the city under various schemes. We are also carrying out patch works on the damaged portions of the roads. The roads that were damaged during the AMRUT scheme works will also be eventually repaired. Recently, we have started the new UGD project works in Thudiyalur and Kavundampalayam areas. And so, the damaged roads in those areas will not be taken up for restoration works. However, we shall carry out patchworks.”
North Zone Chairperson V Kathirvelu, who raised the issue during the monthly council meeting, told TNIE, “After receiving complaints, we have now prepared estimates for the road repair and restoration works in areas where AMRUT scheme works were finished. We held a meeting with the councillors and identified the roads. An estimate of `3 crore was allotted for both patchworks and new roads in areas of wards 1, 2, 14 and 15 of the North Zone. We have planned to carry out road works in the last phase of the UGD works in these wards.”