COIMBATORE: The service road works beneath the newly opened Saibaba Colony flyover remain incomplete even after the August 31 deadline, with delays in shifting underground utilities emerging as one of the major hurdles.
Officials said the delay in shifting pipelines and other utilities by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and TNEB has affected the progress of the remaining works. Lack of coordination between the highways department, civic body and other agencies has also contributed to the delay, they said.
The 1.2-km flyover, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 71.05 crore, was inaugurated for traffic on July 20, nearly two years after construction began. The structure connects Alagesan Road with Eru Company Junction on Mettupalayam Road and is expected to ease traffic congestion at the busy Saibaba Colony junction, particularly for vehicles travelling towards Sivananda Colony Road and NSR Road.
However, motorists continue to face inconvenience beneath the flyover as the service road is yet to be paved. Officials are still carrying out pipeline shifting and installation work before the road can be completed. A few days ago, a government bus carrying passengers got stuck on the dilapidated road where the officials dug out a portion for pipeline installation works.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior highway department official said the flyover itself was completed ahead of schedule and opened to traffic before the deadline. "Only the stormwater drain construction and service road paving works under the flyover remain pending," the official said.
According to the official, the contractor has sought an Extension of Time (EOT) of six months, citing the delay in pipeline shifting and other works being undertaken by the civic body. A proposal seeking the extension has been forwarded to the centre for approval.
However, the official said a six-month extension is unlikely to be granted. "We expect the government to provide an EOT of three months to complete the pending works," the official said.
