COIMBATORE: As vehicles on Ramanathapuram junction are being diverted due to slow underground drainage (UGD) works by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), motorists travelling on Trichy Road have been affected. Though the works have been carried out for over three months, the repair works are yet to be completed by the civic body officials.
The UGD pipeline that was recently installed under the Trichy Road near Ramanathapuram junction burst and the road caved in on July 28 and the police immediately placed barricades around it. Later, though the CCMC officials along with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board officials began the repair works, the stretch near the junction was left completely dilapidated for a long time.
Though it has been three months, officials are yet to finish the repair work because the work was suspended for a few days citing Deepavali and other VIP visits. In this situation, officials resumed the repair works a few days ago and have now diverted the traffic at Ramanathapuram junction by closing one side of the road for vehicle movement. This diversion coupled with poor roads in this stretch has made things worse and the snail’s pace of fixing works has irked motorists as the damaged portion has been causing traffic congestion.
When inquired about it, a senior CCMC official from the central zone told TNIE, “The pipes which burst are large. Unlike water pipelines, there are big 1,500 mm diameter concrete pipes. So they can only be ordered. We have already ordered the pipes, but the making is getting delayed. Also, we are planning a trenchless method to avoid disturbing the Valankulam stormwater channel built under the road. New installation works can be done quickly. However, such meticulous repair work is a challenging task and time-consuming. However, all the works will likely be completed in about 15 days.”