COIMBATORE: Motorists and residents have raised concerns that the service road below GN Mills Flyover on Mettupalayam Road has been slowly caving in. However, the TWAD (Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage) Board and the Highways Department officials have accused each other of the damages on that stretch.
As part of the Pillur 3 project, the TWAD Board officials dug the service road for about 300 metres in February to install pipelines. However, after the work was completed, officials left the dilapidated road unattended for several months, which raised concerns and irked motorists and residents.
TWAD board officials carried out patchwork on the NH road and repaired the damaged stretch from June to July. However, due to substandard and poor-quality patchwork on that stretch, the road was damaged again. The stretch where the repair works were carried out has started caving in slowly forming craters in the middle of the road.
T Raghuram, a motorist from Subramaniyampalayam, said, “This service road was already damaged to the core and was left unattended for several months. We, motorists, were able to breathe a sigh of relief only after the damaged stretch was finally repaired a couple of months ago. However, now, due to the shoddy works done by the officials, the road started caving in posing a huge threat to the motorists.”
J Vasanth Kumar, a college student from GN Mills told TNIE, “With heavy vehicles commuting on the damaged stretch, it is caving in further. Already many students who ride their two-wheelers through this route have fallen and sustained injuries due to these damaged surfaces. The officials must act quickly and repair the dilapidated portions before any major mishaps.”
A senior official from the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department, said, “We never gave the TWAD officials any permission to dig the road and carry out their works in the first place. However, they went ahead with their digging and pipeline works after the Collector gave them the nod. Despite finishing the work, the officials left the road unattended for a long time and then repaired it after complaints were filed. However, now owing to their poor repair works, the road has started caving in. Because of the damages caused by them, we are the ones facing a lot of criticism. We have taken the matter into the Collector’s attention and have asked the TWAD officials to immediately rectify the issue.”
When inquired about it, a TWAD Board official from Coimbatore told TNIE, “We have repaired that particular stretch around five times over the past few months. As the highways department did not construct proper stormwater drains on the road, during monsoon the rainwater stagnates the road, thereby damaging it. We shall inspect the place and take up repair works as soon as possible.”
Despite multiple efforts from TNIE to contact Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, he could not be reached for comments.