COIMBATORE: Hurry makes worry! Social activists and motorists have raised concerns over the quality of the roads that are getting paved in haste by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC).
The civic body is speeding up the re-paving of several roads in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha election. However, it is alleged the necessary milling of the pavements is avoided. (Milling, which is the removal of the bituminous layer from the torn road surface, is done before topping with a new layer during road repair.)
Several roads in the Coimbatore city were dug up in the past few months for the laying of optic fibre cables; pipelines for drinking water and gas supplies; and drainage. These works are being carried out across the city by various firms including private companies and the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board.
Now, the CCMC has been re-paving roads in areas where the aforementioned works have been completed. It is also paving new roads at places where the roads have been in a poor condition for a long time.
With the election round the corner, the road works which were being carried out at a snail’s pace earlier suddenly began gaining pace. Social activists and motorists have pointed out that the road works are being done in haste in view of the upcoming election.
S Vivin Saravan, a social activist, told TNIE, “All of a sudden the road works have picked up pace across the city, thanks to the upcoming election. However, the quality of the roads paved in haste by the civic body officials is very poor and is of serious concern. The roads are being paved without any milling and as a result, the height of the roads has increased tremendously raising concerns among house owners. Without milling roadside buildings have now become prone to water logging and inundation after rains. Even the new roads that are paved by the CCMC have begun developing cracks and potholes.”
Another activist, Manikandan, pointed out that the new roads which are being paved are uneven and are getting damaged fast, posing a threat to motorists.
Paving roads sans proper milling will make the residents’ lives miserable as their houses go down below the road height, he added. When enquired about it, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakarn refuted the allegations that road works were being expedited.
“All the road works were started a long time ago. No new road works have been taken up in recent times. The tender for the next phase of the road works will be opened only by next week. Contractors are being fined then and there if we find any issues with the quality of the roads. The residents and public can file their complaints with us if they find any quality issues with the new roads in the city and we shall take necessary action with regards to it,” Prabakaran told TNIE.