COIMBATORE: The roundabouts set up by traffic police and highways departments on an experimental basis replacing signals at three key junctions has received a positive feedback from motorists. Following this, police has made a recommendation to Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) to build permanent traffic islands. Sources said the civic body is planning to construct the structures through PPP mode. The tenders are expected to be floated soon.
Traffic signals at Lawley Road junction on Thadagam Road, Brook Bond Road junction, Sinthamani junction on the Mettupalayam Road and Sungam junction on the Trichy Road have been replaced with roundabouts using sandbags.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC deputy commissioner Dr M Sharmila said traffic police and highways department have requested the civic body to set up traffic islands and roundabouts at vital junctions once the trial is completed. “We had announced during last year’s budget session that traffic islands would be set up across the city. We plan to construct the traffic islands and roundabouts through PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode,” she informed.
Further, the civic body is planning to remove the ‘S’-bend on Vilankurichi-Thanneerpandal Road. With Vilankurichi, Thaneerapandal, CODISSIA and Gandhi Ma Nagar roads experiencing heavy traffic congestion due to the development of residential areas in the east and north zones, narrow roads around the S-bend has become a bottleneck.
“Around ` eight crores is required to acquire 35 cents where several individuals have built shops and houses at the S-bend. All of them are ready to give up the land. Approval for land acquisition has been obtained from the Commissionerate of Land Administration (CLA). We are awaiting administrative sanction from the Commissioner of Municipal Administration to proceed,” she added.