COIMBATORE: The widening of Siruvani Main Road has run into turbulence with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board raising strong objections over repeated damages caused to its main drinking water pipeline.
The state highways department is widening a 5.2-kilometre stretch between Kalampalayam and Madampatti, converting the road into a four-lane corridor at an estimated cost of Rs 33.8 crore.
As part of the long-awaited infrastructure upgrade, 105 trees are being felled and 109 transplanted, with the district green committee's approval. The department has also pledged to plant 10 saplings for every tree removed.
However, officials of the TWAD Board say residents bear the brunt due to the lack of coordination in executing the project. They allege that highways officials, while using earthmovers to remove trees and dig up road space, have repeatedly damaged the Siruvani water supply's main pipeline, leading to massive leaks and interruptions in drinking water supply to several parts of Coimbatore city and the district.
"So far, the pipeline has been damaged four times on this stretch. Each time, water gushes out before we are even informed," a senior TWAD Board official told TNIE. "The highways department does not alert us before starting the digging. They call only after the damage is done. While they claim to have finished the uprooting works, they continue to dig further, and the pipeline suffers."
The TWAD Board has prepared an estimate of Rs 1.3 lakh for each damage and plans to submit the costs to the highways department for recovery. Officials argue that negligence and poor communication between the two government agencies have led to unnecessary water wastage at a time when conserving resources should be a priority.
Sources point out that while road expansion is vital for easing traffic congestion on the busy stretch, seamless coordination between departments is essential to ensure development does not come at the cost of basic civic services.